KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court sentenced on Tuesday six militants to life imprisonment in a case pertaining to the murder of two policemen.

Habibullah Mehsud, Farooq Mehsud, Naekul Islam Mehsud, Javed, alias Punjabi, Rehman Mehsud and Attaullah Mehsud associated with the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan were found guilty of attacking a raiding police party in Sohrab Goth in January 2009 that had left two policemen dead and eight others injured.

ATC-IV Judge Anandram Sairani, who conducted the trial inside the central prison, pronounced the judgement after recording evidence of witnesses and final arguments from both sides and also ordered confiscation of property of the convicts.

The court ruled that around five eyewitnesses had picked out the accused during identification parades before a magistrate, specifically deposed against them and identified them before the trial court. The medical and other documentary evidence also corroborated their testimonies, it added.

The court also awarded a total of 10-year imprisonment to each accused in a connected case pertaining a police encounter and five-year term in an illicit weapons cases. However, all the sentences would run concurrently.

According to the prosecution, the accused were involved in a shootout with the police during a crackdown on pro-Taliban elements in Sohrab Goth on January 15, 2009, in which they took the then chief of the anti-violent crime cell Farooq Awan along with two intelligence officers hostage when the latter had surrounded Mohmand Building in Al-Asif Square, where members of the banned religious outfit were staying.

The militants opened fire and killed two policemen and injured eight police officers, including the AVCC chief, it added.

A case was registered under Sections 302 (premeditated murder), 353 (criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 324 (attempted murder), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees), 337 (Shajjah) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code read with Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 at the Sohrab Goth police station.

The prosecution further said that the crime investigation department had raided the hideout of the accused in Kunwari Colony in Manghopir on Feb 14, 2009 and arrested them after a shootout and recovered explosive substances and illicit weapons from their possession.

Another case was registered against them under Sections 353, 324, 186/34 of the PPC and 4/5 of the Explosive Substances Act read with Section 7 of the ATA at the CID police station.

Besides, six cases were registered against them under Section 13-D of the Arms Ordinance.

Published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2014