PHC overturns life term sentence

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday overturned life imprisonment of a narcotics convict after the state lawyer failed to defend the conviction and loopholes in the investigation in the case.
A two-member bench comprising Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth and Justice Musarrat Hilali acquitted Muhammad Iqbal, a resident of Tarojaba, Nowhsera district and security officer at Lady Reading Hospital, from life imprisonment and fine after hearing arguments from both the sides.
The petitioner’s lawyer, Noor Alam Khan submitted before the bench that the special Anti-Narcotics Court, Peshawar, had awarded 25 years rigorous imprisonment and fine of Rs50,000 for possessing 36 Kg hashish against which he moved the high court.As per the FIR, the police had arrested the petitioner at Old Plaza on Kohat Road and claimed to recover 36 kg chars from his vehicles secret cavities.