PESHAWAR, Sept 9: A two-member bench of the Peshawar High Court on Wednesday commuted the sentence of a Thai woman from three years to one year in a case of drug trafficking.

The bench comprising Justice Malik Hamid Saeed and Justice Dost Muhammad Khan observed that Peshawar airport had turned into a transit route. Hundreds of appeals were pending before the court, mostly filed by foreign women convicts, it said.

The bench observed that narcotics came from Afghanistan while Pakistan was used as the transit route. But across the world, it said, Pakistan was known as the supplier of narcotics.

"We cannot change the location of Pakistan, neither can we change our neighbours," Justice Dost observed. The appellant, Ms Vanappa, was convicted by the special judge (control of narcotics substance) a few months back and sentenced to three years imprisonment with Rs100,000 fine.

She was arrested at the Peshawar International Airport by Anti-Narcotics Force personnel on Nov 16, 2003. The ANF had recovered heroin-filled capsules, weighing 1.5kg, from her abdomen.

Advocate Sadia Siddiqui appeared for the appellant and contended that the net weight of heroin was not given by the ANF. She said that being a foreigner, who only understood Thai language, the appellant deserved to be treated in a lenient manner.

The ANF's counsel, Tariq Kakar, contended that these people did not deserve any leniency as they were defaming Pakistan. He said Ms Vanappa was a member of an international gang of drug traffickers.

The bench observed that she was only a carrier and not the ringleader. It decided to reduce her prison term but kept the fine intact, observing that in default the appellant should undergo imprisonment for three months more.