KARACHI: A sessions court has sentenced a street criminal to a total of 14 years in prison in a robbery and illicit weapon case.

Additional District and Sessions Judge (East) Shahid Ali Memon found accused Farhan guilty of looting a couple at gunpoint in Gulshan-i-Iqbal in April 2024 and awarded seven-year imprisonment for robbery and seven-year term for possessing an illicit weapon.

In the verdict, the judge remarked: “Nowadays, the street crime is on up-rise and no one could feel secure at the hands of merciless muggers and under such circumstances, release of accused based on minor or slight contradictions would not be better for the society, as such criminals have created terror in the city, due to which, many innocents have even lost their lives and valuable belongings.”

According to state prosecutor Syed Khursheed Bukhari, on April 25, 2024, two street criminals intercepted a man and his wife riding a motorbike, held them at gunpoint and attempted to snatch the woman’s purse. However, she resisted and raised alarm and as a result, area people gathered at the scene and apprehended Farhan. However, his accomplice, Nabeel, managed to escape from the spot.

Regarding the co-accused, the court stated that the case against absconder Nabeel has been placed on the dormant file and will be reopened upon his arrest and production before the court.

The court noted that the witnesses produced in court had presented important and direct evidence against the accused, which the defence failed to shake them.

It added that no personal enmity between the accused and the complainant was brought on record. However, it observed that the prosecution had presented the accused’s previous criminal record, which showed that he had been implicated in multiple FIRs registered for offences including robbery, assault on policemen, and attempted murder. For these reasons, the court observed that he did not deserve any leniency.

A case was registered at the Sharae Faisal police station under Sections 393 (attempt to commit robbery) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Published in Dawn, March 23rd, 2025