An Anti-Terrorism Court in Peshawar sentenced a man to five years in prison after he was found guilty of providing financial assistance and raising funds for a terrorist organisation.

ATC Judge Wali Muhammad Khan sentenced the man, identified as Khan Muhammad, who was arrested by the Counter-Terrorism Department in Mardan on Sunday.

Muhammad is a resident of Mohmand and had been collecting funds for the banned Jamaat-ul-Ahrar. Authorities found Rs345,000 and a Honda 125cc motorcycle in his possession.

Several anti-state pamphlets were also recovered from Muhammad. He was also charged with sheltering terrorists and for inviting people to join JuA.

The investigation found that he had been transmitting money to terrorists via hundi from Shabqadar bazaar.

The court sentenced Muhammad to five years in prison after finding the evidence credible. He has also been ordered to pay fine and serve an additional six-month sentence in case of non-payment.

The arrest and sentencing come amid a new wave of terrorist attacks in the country. According to Islamabad-based think tank Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), there were 79 terrorist attacks in February claiming the lives of 55 civilians and 47 security officials. Meanwhile, security forces killed 156 terrorists in the same period.