KARACHI, Dec 5: An Anti-terrorism Court on Wednesday awarded double capital punishment to a lance naik of the Bhitai Rangers for murdering his newly married friend and gang raping his wife.

Judge Arshad Noor Khan of the ATC-3 also sentenced accused Ghulam Waris to a ten-year’s term for attempting to kill the rape victim.

The judge, however, exonerated co-accused Maqsood Ahmed from all charges, giving him the benefit of doubt.

The couple was married 17 days before the incident at their flat in Classics View, Block-15 of Gulistan-i-Jauhar, on June 9, this year.

According to the prosecution, the accused planned to rape the wife of his friend, Munawwar, on the day of the couple’s wedding ceremony.

Along with his accomplices, the accused murdered Munawwar and gang raped his wife. Afterwards, they slit apart the woman’s throat in a bid to kill her and escaped presuming the victim dead.

However, the neighbours immediately shifted the woman to the JPMC for treatment. The Sharah-i-Faisal police arrested accused Maqsood and Waris following the statement of the victim.

The judge also fined the accused Rs200,000, on default of which he will undergo an additional two-year’s term.

Another capital punishment was handed down on the accused for raping his friend’s wife.

The judge also imposed a fine of Rs100,000 on accused Waris, who would have to undergo an additional one-year term in case of default on the payment.

Two other accused — Naeem and Khalid — were declared absconders in the case.

ACQUITTED: The special Anti-narcotics Court, headed by Judge Ali Nawaz Pirzada, acquitted a man in a case, pertaining to the seizure of 100kms of heroin.