PESHAWAR, Nov 8: A two-member bench of the Peshawar High Court here has commuted the sentence awarded to a juvenile offender for drug pushing.

The bench, comprising chief justice, Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan and Justice Qazi Ahsanullah Qureshi, commuted the sentence from eight years to two years.

The appellant, Muhammad Idrees, was 13 when he was arrested by the police here on Kohat road in June, 2001. The police recovered eight kilograms of charas from his possession.

On Dec 7, 2001, the trial court sentenced him to eight years imprisonment with a fine of Rs100,000.

Advocate Wali Khan Afridi appeared for the appellant and contended that he was minor at the time of commission of the offence. He added that the appellant was of immature understanding when he was arrested by the police. He argued that the appellant deserved leniency.

Mr Khan stated that under the Juvenile Justice System Ordinance, the trial of a minor could only be conducted by a juvenile court. However, he added, as these courts were not set up at that time, he was tried by a normal court.

After arguments by the appellant’s counsel, the court decided that keeping in view the tender age of the appellant his sentence was commuted to two years, the time he has already spent in prison.