13-year-old girl sentenced to seven years for 'armed robbery' in Sindh

A 13-year-old girl was sentenced to seven years of imprisonment in Sindh on charges of armed robbery, allegedly committed with her friends.

Following her conviction in the trial court, the appellant appealed to the Sindh High Court. Ajab Khan Khattak, the counsel for the 13-year-old accused, Maria, informed the court that his client had been falsely implicated.

The prosecutor apprised the court that the girl was accused of armed robbery with her friend, while the prosecution presented no evidence against her and lacked any eyewitnesses to substantiate their allegations.

The appellant argued that the trial court ignored the evidence that favored her and wrongly sentenced her to seven years of imprisonment.

The counsel requested the court to annul the ruling of the trial court and acquit his client of the fabricated charges.

Subsequently, the SHC issued notices to the Prosecutor General of Sindh and other parties and adjourned the next hearing for three weeks.

However, reports failed to specify the date, location, and the identity of the individual who filed the case against her.

An estimated 1700-2000 children, whick makes 89 percent of the child prison population in Pakistan, are incarcerated without trial. T

his alarming statistic is largely attributed to their inability to afford legal representation and limited access to legal aid, according to research conducted by Shujaat & Mirza in 2015.