In a significant legal development, an Anti-Terrorism Court in Lahore has sentenced Hanan Abdullah to two and a half years in prison for using a social media application to learn how to make bombs. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the convicted individual.
The case came to light after the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) launched an investigation into Abdullah’s online activities. According to the FIA, Abdullah had been receiving bomb-making instructions from a foreign-based online account, which were flagged by the FBI. The American agency alerted Pakistani authorities about the suspect’s activities, prompting the government to order a detailed probe by the FIA.
During the trial, the FIA presented testimony from eight witnesses, which helped establish Abdullah’s involvement in acquiring explosive-making knowledge. However, the prosecution was unable to prove any additional charges, such as intent to commit a violent act or possession of explosives, beyond his engagement with the online materials.
While the law allows for a maximum sentence of up to ten years for such offenses, the court took into account the convict’s age and other mitigating factors. In light of this, the court handed down a sentence of two and a half years, which it deemed appropriate under the circumstances.
As per the court’s orders, Hanan Abdullah, who had been out on bail during the trial, was taken into custody immediately after the verdict and transferred to Kot Lakhpat Jail to serve his sentence.
