ABBOTTABAD: A special anti-terrorism Court (ATC) handed on Friday over 13-counts of death penalty each to two accused in last year’s terrorist attack at the Dasu Hydro Power Project (DHPP), in which over a dozen people - including ten Chinese engineers - lost their lives.

The court also imposed Rs40 million fine on the two convicted terrorists, besides awarding them a total of around 800 years of imprisonment, including life imprisonments. All the sentences shall run concurrently. The benefits of Section 382-B of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), which means period spent in imprisonment while awaiting sentencing, has been extended in favour of the accused.

ATC Special Court Judge Sajjad Ahmed Jan delivered the verdict in a camp court, established at the Central Jail Haripur (CJH) after the completion of the case hearing where the two were found guilty and sentenced to 801 years of imprisonment. The court also issued orders to release the four other accused for not being guilty.

The ATC special court sentenced the 49-year-old Muhammad Hussain alias Syed Muhammad alias Zawan alias Mama, son of Abdul Rahim, resident of Sabin Burat, Tehsil Matta, Swat, and Muhammad Ayaz alias Jan, 42, resident of Zurai Balu Jabril Tehsil, Matta Swat.

The court ordered hanging each convict on 13 counts for the crime under section 302 of the PPC and Section 7-A of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

They were also ordered to pay a fine of Rs1.5 million per victim, which would be payable to the heirs of the deceased. The convicts would have to serve one-year additional imprisonment in case of non-payment of the fine.

The special ATC ordered to release four other accused in the case including Shaukat Ali, Anwar Ali, and Fazal Hadim, all residents of Swat’s Matta, and another accused who was already on bail.

On July 14, 2021, ten Chinese engineers and three Pakistanis workers were traveling to the Dasu Hydro Power Project construction site when their bus suddenly plunged into a deep ravine after an explosion on board. The incident led to the death of at least 13 people, including Chinese engineers, two FC officers, and two laborers.

The counter-terrorism department of the Hazara Region, Abbottabad, registered the case on July 14 and arrested the accused, who were later transferred to Abbottabad and Central Jail Haripur. The trial of the accused was conducted by Special Anti-Terrorism Judge Sajjad Ahmad Jan by holding a camp court at Central Jail Haripur.