An Anti-Terrorism Court in Lahore has handed a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence to a man found guilty of learning bomb-making techniques through a social media platform.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs50,000 on the convict, Hanan Abdullah, following a trial led by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
Authorities revealed that Abdullah had been receiving instructions on assembling explosives from a foreign online source.
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The investigation began after the FBI alerted Pakistani officials about Abdullah’s suspicious online activity.
In response, the Pakistani government tasked the FIA with launching a formal inquiry. During the proceedings, the agency presented eight witnesses to support the case.
The court ruled that although the prosecution was unable to prove any charges beyond the accused’s intent and effort to learn explosive-making, the evidence was sufficient to convict him under relevant anti-terror laws.
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In its verdict, the court noted that while the offence could carry a sentence of up to ten years, it considered Abdullah’s age and other factors before deciding on a reduced term.
Since the convict had been out on bail during the trial, the judge ordered his immediate arrest and transfer to Kot Lakhpat Jail to begin serving his sentence.
