June 26, 2003	Thursday	Rabi-us-Sani 25,1424

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KARACHI, June 25: An anti-terrorism court on Wednesday condemned the killer of a lawyer, who was murdered in the premises of the Sindh High Court two months ago, to death while sentencing his abettor, a sub-inspector, to life imprisonment.

Judge Arshad Noor Khan of the ATC-3 also imposed a fine amounting to Rs500,000 on Behram Khan, who had shot dead Mohammad Ashraf on April 15 in a courtroom in the SHC. The convict would have to undergo a five years of rigorous imprisonment if he fails to pay the amount of fine.

The killer was also awarded a seven-year rigorous imprisonment term for possessing and using an unlicensed pistol.

Behram Khan and SI Pir Bux are said to have actually come to kill Qurban Ali Chauhan, who was the attorney for the accused being tried for the killing of Behram’s maternal uncle.

A fine amounting to Rs200,000 was imposed on the other accused, who would have to undergo an additional five-year jail term in case of a default.

In his 50-page verdict, Judge Khan observed that though the killers did not recognise Qurban Ali Chauhan by face, their intention was to kill him as they had made queries about their target.

He observed that “their intention was to create panic, tension, terror, sense of fear and insecurity amongst the legal fraternity so that the legal fraternity may not accept the brief against their rivals”.

The judge wrote: “Accused Behram Khan also admitted that he had been previously convicted and is also involved in some other criminal matters which shows that he is a hardened, desperate and dangerous criminal, who did hesitate to commit the murder inside the courtroom.”