The Sindh High Court (SHC) in Karachi on Saturday quashed the conviction of an alleged spy for India’s intelligence agency, RAW, on charges of conspiracy against the state. The ruling was issued on appeal.
The bench commuted the life sentence to a 10-year jail term with a fine, based on explosives found in the accused’s possession.
Court says prosecution evidence was insufficient
The court observed that the prosecution failed to produce authentic evidence linking the accused to the spy agency or to an anti-state conspiracy. The bench remarked that his travel history to India could not by itself prove a conspiracy.
The court also said the prosecution had not shown a conspiracy with an accomplice or any preparation of war. Recovered explosives and munitions alone could not prove the terrorism charge, it added, because the specific intention to spread terror must be proven.
Manora raid and passports recovered by SIU
The state counsel told the court that the SIU, acting on secret information, carried out a timely raid in Manora on October 7, 2024. Officers recovered a pistol, explosives, an Awan cracker bomb and a rocket launcher.
A lawyer said two passports were recovered from the accused, Muhammad Saleem, and claimed he had obtained Pakistani citizenship through illegal means. An anti-terrorism court had earlier awarded a three-times life term with an overall 34-year prison sentence.
