PESHAWAR, Sept 25: Dismissing a criminal appeal, a two-member bench of the Peshawar High Court on Wednesday upheld the death sentence awarded to a convict by an anti-terrorism court in the murder case of a police official.

The bench, comprising Justice Tariq Pervaiz and Justice Fazalur Rehman Khan, set aside the life imprisonment awarded to co-accused Yousaf Khan and Shoaib Afridi. However, their other sentence of two years imprisonment each, for accompanying the prime accused, Maha Gul, at the place of occurrence, would remain in the field.

The anti-terrorism court presided over by Akhter Zareef Khan had convicted the three appellants on July 31 of killing the SHO of Badhbher police station, Bukhtiar Alam. Maha Gul was sentenced to death, whereas the other two accused were sentenced to life imprisonment.

The SHO was on patrolling on March 26, when unidentified armed men ambushed his vehicle. Later, the police arrested the three accused, claiming that they were involved in the murder. The accused had recorded their confessional statements.

Qazi Mohammad Anwer appeared for the complainant side and Asadullah Chamkani represented the accused.

Qazi Anwer contended that the accused had already confessed their guilt.

Another accused, Tasleem, had died in a police encounter. His family claimed that he was riding a donkey-cart when the police killed him.

A writ petition against the police department has been pending before the high court.