QUETTA, Sept 24: The Special Judge of the Anti-Terrorism Court, Abdul Ghayyas Nusherwani, convicted and awarded two years imprisonment on Tuesday to an ex-senator and six co-accused for their continuous absence from the hearing of a treason case against them.

A treason case was registered against JUI(F) ex-senator Fazal Mohammad Bariach and six others — Maulana Abdul Malik from the NWFP, Jamiat Ahl-i-Hadith provincial Naib Amir Abdul Majeed Kharani, Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadith provincial leader Ameenullah, Mohammed Siddique Muslim Yar of Anjuman-i-Tajran, Abdul Baqi of Sipah-i-Sahaba and Mohammad Idrees of Lashkar-i-Taiba — under section 121-124A PPC, as they had delivered speeches in Ayub Stadium last year in which they tried to instigate the people against the government.

They remained absent during the hearing despite issuance of repeated notices by the learned court. The court finally awarded them two years imprisonment under section 21(L) of the ATC Act.