‘In a first’: ATC sentences 51 May 9 accused to five years in prison
A Gujranwala anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Saturday sentenced 51 convicts to five-year prison terms in a case pertaining to the attack on Gujranwala cantonment following the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan on May 9 last year.
More than 100 civilians are under trial for their alleged role in attacks on army installations during the riots that followed Imran’s arrest on May 9 last year.
The Rahwali Cantt police had registered a case against suspects involved in an attack on the cantonment in Gujranwala in which dozens of people were injured and one person was killed.
At the time, Senior Superintendent of Police (Investigation) Usman Tariq Butt had also received injuries. The first information report was registered under the anti-terrorism law as well as on the charges of attempted murder.
The sentence was announced today by ATC Judge Natasha Naseem Sipra. As per a warrant of commitment on sentence of the convicts, the rioters were charged according to the following terms:
• rigorous imprisonment for five years and a Rs10,000 fine, with simple imprisonment of a further 10 days in case of default under Section 6(2i) of the Anti-terrorism Act, 1997.
• rigorous imprisonment for five years and a Rs10,000 fine, with simple imprisonment of a further 10 days in case of default under Section 6(2m) of the Anti-terrorism Act, 1997.
• rigorous imprisonment for five years and a Rs10,000 fine, with simple imprisonment of a further 10 days in case of default under Section 6(2n) of the Anti-terrorism Act, 1997.
• rigorous imprisonment for one year under Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) Section 148 (rioting armed with deadly weapon).
• rigorous imprisonment for one year under PPC Section 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions).
• rigorous imprisonment for one year under PPC Section 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty).
• rigorous imprisonment for one year under PPC Section 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty).
• rigorous imprisonment for one year under PPC Section 427 (mischief causing damage amounting to Rs50).
• rigorous imprisonment for one year under PPC Section 431 (mischief by injury to public road, bridge, river or channel).
The warrant said the sentences would run concurrently and the convicts would be entitled to the benefit of Section 382B of the Criminal Procedure Code, which says that the period of detention of a prisoner has to be considered in the prison term when a person is convicted by a trial court.
The application of the above section means that the detention periods served so far will also be counted as a part of the prison terms announced and thus subtracted from the highest term of five years.
The warrant authorised the superintendent of Central Jail Gujranwala to receive the convicts in his custody and execute the sentences in accordance with the law.