CHITRAL: District and sessions judge Javedur Rehman awarded here the other day life imprisonment and Rs0.5 million fine to an Afghan national for smuggling charas and opium.

Khak Abdur Razak was arrested in Lot Koh area of Chitral district in Sept for smuggling six kilogrammes of charas and opium each.

The court, however, acquitted three co-accused, including Abdul Aziz and Sher Nawaz of Lot Koh area and Afghan national Abdul Jalil, over weak evidence.

It declared three other accused, including Abdul Aleem, Mehrabuddin and Noorullah, all Afghan nationals, absconders and issued perennial warrants for their arrest.

The court also convicted a resident, Sanaullah, of child pornography and awarded seven-year imprisonment and Rs100,000 fine under PPC and three-year rigorous imprisonment and Rs50,000 fine under KP Child Protection and Welfare Act, 2010.

It, however, absolved him of the molestation charge.

The accused was arrested by the local police on June 26 this year after a couple from Muldeh village accused him of molesting their child.

The court also observed that it had disposed of all cases pending with it, so there’s no backlog.

Also in the day, the administration of Lower Chitral district held an open kutchery for people with disabilities here.

The event, the first of its kind in the region, was attended by deputy commissioner of Lower Chitral Naveed Ahmad and heads of government departments.

The DC asked all relevant officials to make their offices and public places, including DHQ hospital, accessible for the people with disabilities by putting up ramps and special toilets and counters for them.

He also said the credentials of those, who got jobs in government departments against the quota of disabled persons, would be examined over the complaints of irregularities.

Published in Dawn, December 7th, 2019