KARACHI: An antiterrorism court on Saturday handed down a collective sentence of 24 years in prison to two muggers for wounding a policeman during an encounter, possession of illicit weapons and causing terrorism.

Muhammad Muzamil and Muhammad Umer were found guilty of attacking and injuring Constable Shafiullah with an unlicensed pistol during an encounter within the jurisdiction of the Pakistan Bazaar police station in June 2021.

On Saturday, the ATC-XX judge, who conducted the trial in the judicial complex inside the central prison, pronounced his verdict reserved after recording evidence and final arguments from both sides.

State prosecutor Iqbal Meo Rajput argued that a police party during routine patrolling got spy information about the presence of two accused near the Nishar-i-Haider Chowk. The police reached the spot upon which both the suspects tried to escape under the cover of firing.

Their firing left Constable Shafiullah injured, he said, adding that the cops also returned fire and managed to arrest them.

On the other, defence counsel Yousaf Khan and Hyder Farooq Jatoi submitted that their clients were innocent and they had allegedly been framed in the present case by the police under false and fabricated allegations. They pleaded to acquit them.

Separate cases were registered under Sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 324 (attempted murder), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code, Section 23(I)-A of the Sindh Arms Act, 2013 and Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

Published in Dawn, July 31st, 2022