������Ƶ

KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court in Karachi sentenced a man to multiple life terms on Thursday for illegally entering Pakistan, maintaining contact with intelligence agency RAW and possessing explosives and firearms, according to court documents seen by Arab News.

The case comes against the backdrop of longstanding accusations that India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) sponsors militancy and espionage on Pakistani soil, a charge New Delhi denies. The most high-profile case was that of Kulbhushan Jadhav, a former Indian naval officer arrested in 2016 and sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for alleged espionage. India disputes the conviction and has challenged it at the International Court of Justice.

Muhammad Saleem, who prosecutors said crossed into Pakistan illegally from India in 1989 and later obtained Pakistani identity documents, was arrested in October 2024 in Karachi’s Mauripur area. Police said they recovered a hand grenade with a detonator, a bomb launcher, a pistol with 10 live rounds and two Pakistani passports from his possession.

It was unclear if the man was an India national before 1989 and whether he still held Indian nationality. Anila Malik, the prosecutor of the case, said the prosecution proved that Saleem had illegally entered Pakistan, but his nationality was not discussed during the hearings. The court has also not used the word Indian national or Indian in its court order.

Judge Zeeshan Akhter Khan of Anti-Terrorism Court-XV wrote in the judgment that the prosecution had “successfully proved its case against the accused,” concluding that Saleem had been “caught red-handed” with explosives and weapons.

The court said testimony from police officers, forensic reports, and the Bomb Disposal Unit’s findings proved Saleem was planning attacks.

“There is no element of doubt in the present case,” the judgment said, adding that police statements were “confidence-inspiring” and supported by physical evidence and expert analysis.

Saleem, who told the court he was a social worker and denied working for RAW, argued that the case was fabricated and that the weapons were planted on him. He said in a recorded statement that “no document is on record to show that he is agent of RAW and all the articles were foisted upon him.”

The court rejected his defense, citing unexplained travel to India in 2012, 2013 and 2014.

The court sentenced Saleem to three life terms under sections 121-A and 122 of the Pakistan Penal Code, which relate to waging war against the state and collecting arms with the intent to wage war, as well as under section 4 of the Explosive Substances Act.

He was also handed 10 years under section 5 of the same act, 14 years under section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act — which addresses acts intended to spread terror — and 10 years under the Sindh Arms Act. All sentences will run concurrently.

Saleem, who had been on bail, was taken into custody and remanded to Karachi Central Prison after the sentencing. The court informed him of his right to appeal before the Sindh High Court.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is planning to establish a local assembly line for Belarus-made tractors as part of efforts to modernize its agriculture sector and attract foreign investment, state news agency APP reported this week. 

The plan was discussed at a meeting chaired by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan, who met with representatives of private sector investors to review a proposal to set up a plant to assemble 57–80 horsepower Belarus tractors in Pakistan.

Agriculture is the backbone of Pakistan’s economy, employing nearly 40 percent of its workforce and contributing about a fifth of GDP. Yet the sector continues to suffer from low mechanization and productivity. 

Officials say partnerships with foreign manufacturers could help address these challenges while also attracting foreign direct investment and strengthening bilateral economic ties, particularly with Belarus, a major producer of heavy machinery and tractors.

“An agreement with Belarus on tractors will significantly boost agriculture and increase farmers’ productivity,” Khan was quoted by APP as saying.

He said the government aimed to ensure investment for a Completely Knocked Down (CKD) plant, a local assembly facility where imported tractor components are assembled domestically, reducing costs and building local capacity for manufacturing.

According to APP, sources familiar with the plan estimate a potential market of about 2,800 tractor units over the next five years, signaling strong demand for high-horsepower machinery in Pakistan’s largely under-mechanized farming sector.

“Some investors have already shown deep interest in Belarus tractors, and more should step forward to invest in this opportunity,” Khan said, calling for broader participation from the private sector.

He added that a business-to-business (B2B) relationship between Pakistan and Belarus in tractor assembly “would prove to be a game-changer,” underscoring the government’s view of the project as a step toward deepening industrial cooperation and expanding foreign partnerships.