KARACHI: A sessions court has sentenced a man to 10 years in prison as he entered a guilty plea in a case pertaining to the recovery of over one kilogram of charas. Additional District and Sessions Judge Liaquat Ali Khoso, who is also the presiding officer of the Special Court of Control of Narcotic Substances (Malir), sentenced Habibur Rehman to 10 years in prison. According to state prosecutor Riaz Ali Soomro, on May 9 at Star Ground near Swati Mohallah, a sub-inspector at Qaidabad police station apprehended accused Habib, said to be over 70-year-old, and co-accused Nosherwan. During the search, the police recovered 1,040gm charas from them. After his arrest, Habibur Rehman was released on bail. but failed to appear during the proceedings, which led the court to issue a non-bailable warrant against him. Subsequently, the accused surrendered before the court and submitted an application in which he pleaded guilty and sought leniency. In his plea, he stated that the offence was committed unintentionally and that he worked as a labourer to support his livelihood, and prayed for mercy. Meanwhile, the prosecution raised no objection to the plea, but requested that the accused be convicted in accordance with the law. In its detailed order, the judge observed: “Accused is first offender and repented to repeat the offence. It is a hard fact of life that poverty leads persons to the world of crimes in order to earn bread and butter for their families.