RAWALPINDI, April 18: An anti-terrorism court here on Friday awarded life imprisonment to two men for kidnapping an ex-serviceman and his nephew for ransom.

ATC-2 Judge Sakhi Mohammad Kahot also ordered confiscation of all movable and immovable property of Arsala Khan and Noor Mohammad. Five other persons - Shaukat, Abrar, Israr, Nasir Punjabi and Faridullah - were declared proclaimed offenders.

According to the prosecution, the culprits kidnapped Captain (retired) Atif and his teenage nephew from Saidpur Road in their own car on January 25, 2006. The kidnappers abandoned the car at Taxila and took the victims to the tribal areas. Later, they demanded Rs50 million for their release.

After negotiations with the family of Mr Atif, the kidnappers brought down the amount to Rs6 million and released the two after receiving the money. A case was registered with the Banni police, who arrested the two men but failed to nab their accomplices.

Meanwhile, four candidates obtained nomination papers from Khalid Mehmood Ranjah, the returning officer for NA-55 Rawalpindi-VI, for by-elections.

The candidates were Haji Pervaiz Khan, Muqarab Khan, Amjad Rabab Abbasi and Naseeb Khan.