ISLAMABAD, Dec 20: The Supreme Court ruled that travelling with Pakistani currency in the country was no offence, and directed the government to return Rs10 million to a citizen who was arrested by the coast guards on the charge of attempting to smuggle local and foreign currency.

Justice Mohammad Nawaz Abbasi, authoring the judgment for a three-judge bench, directed the government to return the amount to a convict, Asghar Ali of Awaran Turbat, Balochistan. The verdict was issued on Thursday.

The court, however, upheld the sentence awarded to him by a customs court for possessing foreign currency.

Prosecution alleges that Asghar was arrested from coastal areas when he, along with an accomplice, was trying to smuggle the currencies out of the country. But reportedly no other person was nabbed.

The customs court had convicted him and ordered that all the currencies found on him be confiscated.

Following the orders, Asghar filed a petition in the apex court, claiming that he was in possession of rupees at the time of arrest, but denied having foreign currency.

The Supreme Court held that keeping in view the circumstances under which Asghar had been detained carrying local currency and the explanation given for the action, his arrest and seizure of money was illegal.