SHC sets aside conviction of five terror suspects, orders release

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Tuesday set aside the conviction of five terror suspects in a case related to possession of illicit arms and explosive material, ARY News reported.

Among the five convicts Abdul Haq and Ali Raza were sentenced to fourteen years in jail, Kashif was to undergo imprisonment of eight years, while Salim and Arshad were sent to prison for seven years by an anti-terrorism court.

A division bench of the high court announced its verdict on the appeals of five suspects after hearing arguments from defense and prosecution sides.

The court ordered their release provided that they were not required in any other criminal case.

Advocate Mumtaz Ali Khan Deshmukh, representing the suspects, claimed that a fake case was registered against his clients. Weapons and explosives were shown to have been recovered from their possession to implicate them in the criminal case, he alleged.

On May 09, an anti-terrorism court had found the suspects guilty of possessing illicit arms and explosives and awarded them jail terms of varying periods.

Korangi police had arrested the suspects after an encounter in Korangi Industrial Area and recovered arms and explosive from their possession. The police claimed that the suspects were planning terrorist activities in the metropolis.