Banned outfit members sentenced over hate material, hate speech

BAHAWALPUR: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) judge, Khalid Arshad, on Saturday awarded one-year rigorous imprisonment to an activist of a banned outfit for keeping and distributing hate material and collecting donations for his organisation.
The court also imposed Rs 130,000 fine on Qari Rasheed of Haroonabad who, in case of non-payment, will face further nine-month imprisonment.
The judge also awarded one month imprisonment and Rs 30,000 fine to Javed alias Jaidi of Rahim Yar Khan for keeping hate-based literature. He will go through another 15-day imprisonment in case of not paying the fine. Earlier on Friday, the ATC judge awarded 10 years and four months imprisonment to a prayer leader - Maulvi Abdul Ghani of Qaimpur mosque - on the charges of delivering hate speech after the morning prayers. The convict will also have to pay Rs 170,000 as fine.
Three other convicts - Muhammad Waqas, Muhammad Zahid and Rafique – were also awarded three-and-half-month imprisonment each with Rs 5,000 fine for keeping and distributing hate material.