SAHIWAL – A Special Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Sahiwal has sentenced an operative linked to the banned militant organization Al-Qaeda to a total of 33 years in prison. The court also imposed a fine of 5,000 PKR on the convict.
Arrest and Investigation
The convict, identified as Junaid Ashraf, a resident of Tando Muhammad Khan (Sindh), was apprehended by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on the evening of October 29, 2025. Acting on intelligence reports, CTD officials intercepted Ashraf near Village 36/2-L.
According to investigative reports, Ashraf was in the final stages of planning a major terror attack in a densely populated area of Sahiwal.
Recovered Items and Charges
Upon his arrest, law enforcement recovered a significant cache of weapons and explosives intended for the planned blast. The seized items included:
2,212 grams of explosive material
Prima cord and electric detonators
Electronic devices and mobile phones
A pistol and 9,950 PKR in cash
The CTD confirmed that Junaid Ashraf maintained active ties with Al-Qaeda. He was subsequently charged under Sections 4/5 of the Explosive Substances Act, Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (1997), and the Arms Ordinance.
The Verdict
Following a thorough trial where evidence and arguments were presented by the prosecution, the ATC found the accused guilty on all counts. The judge handed down the 33-year sentence and ordered the convict to be shifted to prison immediately to serve his term.
Translation:
Sahiwal: The verdict has been announced in the well-known murder case of Ghalla Mandi Police Station
The accused police constable, Bilal Akram, has been sentenced to life imprisonment and a fine of 500,000 rupees after the charge of murder was proven.
In 2022, Constable Bilal Akram, who was in uniform, shot and killed a motorcyclist Muhammad Akhtar near Pakpattan Chowk following a minor altercation.