PESH AWAR: An anti-terrorism court here has granted bail to a schoolteacher arrested by the counter-terrorism department on charges of possessing hand grenades and a pistol and having links with the banned militant outfit, Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan.

The judge directed the applicant, Israr Ahmad, a resident of Swabi, to furnish three surety bonds each valuing Rs300,000.

The CTD had registered an FIR against the applicant on Nov 20, 2015, claiming it had tip-off about the entry of a suspected terrorist to Peshawar from Swabi af ter which they kept a vigilant eye on the General Bus Stand here.

It claimed the CTD officials had spotted the suspect, overpowered him and seized two hand grenades, a pistol and some cartridges.

A case was later registered under Section 7 of the AntiTerrorism Act, Section 5 of Explosive Substance Act, and Arms Act against him.

Advocate Mukhtiar Ahmad Maneri appeared for the applicant and contended that he was highly quali8fied and had done his MSc in Physics. He added that the case was fabricated and full of loopholes. He pointed out that in fact the applicant was taken into custody on Aug 5 in Swabi and subsequently his arrest was shown on Nov 20 inthe presentconcoctedcase.

Mr Mukhtiar said if the CTD claimed of have arrested the suspect in Peshawar, then it was a daylight occurrence but still no independent witness was included in the case though the place was a busy marketplace.

He said despite the passage of so many days, neither the report of the bomb disposal unit (BDU) regarding the two allegedly recovered grenades nor that of the Forensic science laboratory regarding the pistol were produced by the CTD.

DRUG SMUGGLER CONVICTED: An additional district and sessions judge has convicted a person charged with smuggling narcotics and sentenced him to life imprisonment with a fine of Rs300,000.