SHC reserves judgment on appeal of convict in terrorists harbouring case

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Wednesday reserved judgment on the appeal of a convict against 10-year imprisonment in a case pertaining to harbouring terrorists.

Nasruddin was sentenced to 10-year imprisonment by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) which found him guilty of sheltering terrorists of a proscribed organisation who were killed during a shoot-out with law enforcement agencies (LEAs) in the Urdu Bazaar area in April 2017.

According to the prosecution, the appellant was arrested by police as a facilitator who provided a flat, which he had obtained at a rent in a multi-storey building in the Urdu Bazaar area, to militants of a banned outfit.

Police alleged that the terrorists were taking refuge in the flat, which they had obtained from the appellant and when the Rangers and law enforcement agencies raided the building, the terrorists first hurled a grenade at them, causing injuries to a Rangers officer and five others, and later opened fire on the LEAs personnel.

A total of four militants, including a woman, and an infant child were killed in the flat after the militants allegedly exploded themselves. The militants were identified as Mohammad Zahid, Hafeezullah, Mohammad Naeem and his wife Afshan.

A counsel for the appellant submitted that no incriminating evidence was found against the appellant that could connect him with the militants or the banned outfit. The lawyer submitted that neither was anything illegal recovered from the convict nor was the tenancy agreement found true. He requested the SHC to set aside the conviction.

Meanwhile, the state counsel supported the trial court judgment and submitted that the appellant had obtained the flat at a rent for the sole purpose of harbouring the terrorists. He requested the high court to dismiss the appeal.

A division bench of the SHC headed by Justice Mohammad Iqbal Kalhoro, after hearing the arguments, reserved the judgment.

Qingqi operators’ plea

The SHC also issued notices to the home department, transport secretary and others on a petition of the Qingqi Rickshaw Operators Association against not-issuance of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the Qingqi rickshaws during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Representatives of the Qingqi rickshaw operators submitted that the transport department had not issued SOPs for the operation of Qingqi rickshaws in spite of the fact that CNG rickshaws were allowed to ply in different parts of the province. They submitted that Qingqi operators and staff were facing extreme hardships due to the suspension of Qingqi rickshaw operations in the province. They informed the high court that they were willing to operate their rickshaws as per the SOPs issued by the transport department. The SHC was requested to direct the transport department to issue SOPs for the operation of Qingqi rickshaws as per their designated routes.