PHC overturns life terms to 2 in drug smuggling case

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Friday set aside life imprisonment to two persons charged with smuggling of 968 kilogram narcotics and remanded the case back to the trial court.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth also issued release orders of the accused persons on bail.

During hearing of the appeal against conviction, Barrister Nauman and WaqasChamkani, lawyers for the appellants, submitted that as per the first information report (FIR) the Customs police during search operation had recovered 958 kg of hashish from the secret cavities of a truck owned by the appellants.

They submitted that as per the law all samples should be sent to laboratory but they sent sample from only 10 packets. Furthermore, they said, that no Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report was submitted in record of the case. They requested the court to set aside the conviction.