KARACHI, Dec 9: An anti-terrorism court sentenced on Saturday four domestic servants of former Balochistan chief minister Sardar Akhtar Mengal to life imprisonment for holding two army men hostage in April.

Judge Haq Nawaz Baloch also sentenced each of Nasarullah Mengal, Ghulam Hyder Langah alias Chappar, Mehboob Ali Satti and Ghulam Qadir to a 10-year jail term and imposed a fine of Rs20,000 under Section 7-B of the anti-terrorist act (ATA) for torturing the two army men.

The four men were also handed down a five-year term and a fine of Rs10,000 each under Section 7-H of the ATA for robbing their captives of all their belongings. Another five-year term and a fine of Rs10,000 were given to each under Section 7-I of the ATA for causing obstruction in the execution of official duties.

The judge ordered that the case filed against Akhtar Mengal, who had been declared a proclaimed offender in the case, be kept dormant as he would be tried upon his arrest.

The prosecution, represented by special public prosecutor Mazhar Qayyum, examined 12 prosecution witnesses in the case.

Complainant Havaldar Qurban Hussain of the Military Intelligence alleged that on April 5, he and Lance Naik Fayyaz Ahmed were on duty along Khayaban-i-Shamsheer, Clifton when Mr Mengal’s servants kidnapped them and held them hostage.