Two muggers sentenced to 19 years in jail

KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) handed down on Thursday a collective sentence of 19-year imprisonment to two muggers on charges of robbery, encounter with police and possession of illicit arms.

Ahmed Ali and Piyar Ali alias Imran Ali were found guilty of robbing a shop owner, engaging in an encounter with policemen with the intention to kill, possessing unlicensed pistols and creating a sense of terror in the SITE area in November, 2021.

The ATC-XX judge, who conducted the trial in the judicial complex inside the central jail, announced his order reserved after recording evidence and final arguments from both the defence and prosecution sides.

"In view of reasons discussed supra, I am of the view that the prosecution has proved its charges against the accused persons; I, therefore, convict them under Section 265-H(II) of CrPC," the judge ruled, sentencing them to 19 years of rigorous imprisonment each. The convicts were told to pay a fine of Rs80,000 each or undergo 15-month additional imprisonment.

State prosecutor Iqbal Meo stated that on November 30, 2021, the complainant, Mohammad Bilal, was present at his general store when two men arrived at his shop on a motorcycle. One of them dismounted the motorbike, brandishing a pistol, and proceeded to rob him of his mobile phone and Rs4,400 in cash, he said, adding that in the midst of this, a customer named Talha entered the premises and the assailant attempted to snatch his phone as well. However, instead of complying, Talha resisted, prompting the assailant to strike him on the head with the pistol's butt.

Meo said a police patrol happened to be passing through the vicinity at that very moment and the complainant informed the cops about the incident, leading them to pursue the culprits. Upon realising that the police were tailing them, the assailants fired at the policemen, who returned fire, resulting in the assailants sustaining injuries. Subsequently, the suspects were apprehended.