A local court in Rawalpindi has handed down a combined 21-year prison sentence and Rs. 10 million in fines to two individuals found guilty of stealing crude oil by tampering with the pipeline of the Pakistan Oil Field Company, reported 24NewsHD TV channel Thursday.
The court of Additional Sessions Judge Maqsood Ahmed Qureshi announced the verdict in a case registered in December 2023 at the Saddar Baruni Police Station.
According to the judgment, accused Ghulam Mustafa and Muhammad Sarfaraz were each sentenced to 7 years in prison and fined Rs. 5 million for their involvement in the theft. The remaining years of imprisonment are attributed to additional charges linked to the same crime.
The court described the offence as a serious threat to national infrastructure and energy security, setting a stern precedent for similar crimes.