SC upholds 14-year jail term of three TTP affiliates

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed appeals of three convicted terrorists affiliated with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) who had challenged their sentences handed by a trial court.

Three terrorists hailing from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan had been sentenced to 14 years each in jail after they were found in possession of explosives during a police operation in Peshawar.

Their appeals against the convictions were set aside by the high court after which they had moved the apex court.

Headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, a bench of the apex court, upheld the jail terms of the convicts. Justice Khosa during the proceedings stated that the prosecution has succeeded in proving the convicts’ links to the banned outfit and recovery of explosives from their possession without any shred of doubt.

Justice Khosa held that the court overlooks technical flaws in the cases involving militants. The appellants were arrested with 840 kilograms of explosive material, he added.

A lawyer representing the convicts said one of them is underage and thus, he should be treated as per juvenile laws. Besides, gunpowder was seized from their possession, which is not explosive material, he added.

Justice Khosa wondered if the counsel wanted that talcum powder should have been recovered from them.

The counsel of the convicts informed the bench that one convict, Haji Habib, died in jail while the other is a minor and thus should be shown leniency.

The other two convicts were identified as Asif Sheeraz and Niaz.

Justice Khosa responded that in the rest of the world the first mistake is termed the ‘last mistake’ but in Pakistan, it is said that first-timers should be let go. He explained that this culture is a licence for committing a second mistake.