ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has suspended the sentence of an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) of the Islamabad Police, Zahoor Ahmed, who was convicted under the Official Secrets Act, 1923 for allegedly passing confidential information to a Russian diplomat.
IHC senior puisne judge Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, in a 5-page written verdict, noted that given the short duration of the sentence and the likelihood that the appeal will not be decided soon, the appellant is entitled to a suspension of the sentence.
The verdict mentioned that, according to the forensic analysis report, messages containing threat alert reports were found on the appellant’s mobile phone.
However, it stated, threat alerts issued by the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) and the Ministry of Interior cannot be considered classified information or secret documents.
The trial court’s three-year imprisonment sentence for ASI Zahoor has been suspended, and the court has directed the appellant to submit a surety bond of Rs200,000, which can be deposited in cash. Additionally, the convicted ASI Zahoor Ahmed must appear in court on every hearing date until a final decision on his appeal is made, it said.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) registered a case against ASI Ahmed on December 13, 2021. He was accused of planning a meeting with the foreign diplomat with the intention of handing over to him sensitive information and documents related to national security. –Agencies
