Man found carrying explosive device sentenced to seven-year imprisonment

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) has awarded seven-year imprisonment to a man said to be affiliated with the banned Sindh Revolutionary Army (SRA) in a case pertaining to possession of explosives.

Mumtaz Ali was found guilty of possession of an explosive device under suspicious circumstances in May 2023.

The ATC-II judge pronounced his order after recording evidence and final arguments from both the defence and prosecution sides. He ruled that the prosecution had successfully proved its case against the accused, handing down seven years of rigorous imprisonment to the convict.

"Accused Mumtaz Ali is convicted of possessing explosive material under suspicious circumstances as provided under the Section 5 of Explosive Substance Act," remarked the judge.

"All the properties of convict Mumtaz Ali stands forfeited to Government as provided u/s 5-A of Explosive Substance Act," read the order.

The court also extended the benefit of the Section 382 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) to the convict, meaning that the period he had spent behind bars since his arrest would be deducted from his prison term. He was remanded back to the prison to serve out the sentence.

According to the prosecution, the accused was caught possessing an improvised explosive device (IED) in May 2023.

The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) apprehended the accused while he was en route to target a Chinese restaurant in Clifton. An FIR was lodged against him under the sections 4 and 5 of the Explosive Substances Act.