GUJRANWALA, June 26: The Anti-Terrorist Court No 1 handed down on Wednesday death sentence on seven counts each to 15 proclaimed offenders and fined Rs15 million collectively for killing seven people including an ASI.

The verdict was announced in the absence of the accused who did not turn up despite court’s orders.

Judge Muhammad Husain Maken acquitted four co-accused Muhammad Akhtar, Ahmad Khan Bhatti, Ashiq Husain and Zahid Husain giving them the benefit of the doubt.

According to the prosecution, convicts, including Ghazanfar Ali, Ehsanullah, Amanullah, Khushnood Ahmad, Mumtaz Ahmad, Muhammad Nawaz, Muhammad Rashid, Zulfiqar Ali, Ijaz Ahmad, Amir Bashir, Muhammad Imran, Muhammad Anwar, Munawar Ali and Shabbir Ahmad, killed seven people, including ASI Muhammad Akram on June 14, 2000 near Pindi Bhattian over an enmity.