Peshawar ATC Convicts Five, Including Juvenile in Terror Financing Case

PESHAWAR:
An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Peshawar has convicted five individuals, including a juvenile, on multiple counts of terrorism financing and membership in proscribed organizations, sentencing each to five years of rigorous imprisonment. ATC Judge Wali Mohammad Khan delivered the landmark verdict, imposing a hefty fine of Rs11 million on each convict. The court formally acted as a juvenile tribunal during the trial of the underage suspect, ensuring compliance with national juvenile justice standards.

The convicted individuals—identified as Rifaqullah, Kamran Faraz, Usman Ali, Mubashir Ghani, and the unnamed juvenile—were charged under various provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Arms Act. The prosecution successfully proved that the suspects were involved in funding banned outfits and possessing illegal weapons. The court ruled that all sentences would run concurrently. Meanwhile, five absconding suspects, including Mehmood Shah, Qari Ehtesham, Bilal, Abdul Kabeer Khan, and Murad, were declared proclaimed offenders, and perpetual arrest warrants were issued against them.

This ruling underscores Pakistan’s ongoing judicial and law enforcement crackdown on terror financing and militant networks in the volatile northwestern region. By prosecuting both active members and financial facilitators, the state aims to choke the financial lifelines of proscribed groups operating near the Pak-Afghan border. Legal experts note that the inclusion of a juvenile in the trial highlights the growing concern over the recruitment of youth by extremist organizations, emphasizing the need for robust rehabilitation and counter-radicalization programs.

Following the verdict, the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of the police, which initially registered the case in Mohmand district on November 11, 2024, has initiated coordinated raids to apprehend the five proclaimed offenders. Security agencies are expected to intensify intelligence-based operations in Mohmand and surrounding tribal districts to dismantle remaining sleeper cells associated with the banned outfits.