23 March 2004	Tuesday	01 Safar 1425

KARACHI, March 22: An accused in a sectarian murder case was sentenced to death on Monday on two counts by an anti-terrorism court.

Judge Feroze Mehmood Bhatti of the ATC-2 also ordered Syed Imtiaz Hussain Jafferi to pay Rs300,000 as Diyat (compensation) to the family of his victim, Junaid Iqbal, a worker of the banned Sipah-i-Sahaba.

Man awarded death in sectarian killing case

KARACHI, March 22: An accused in a sectarian murder case was sentenced to death on two counts by an anti-terrorism court on Monday. Judge Feroze Mehmood Bhatti of the ATC-2 also ordered accused Syed Imtiaz Hussain Jaffery to pay Rs300,000 as Diyat (compensation) to family of the victim, Junaid Iqbal, a worker of the banned Sipah-i-Sahaba.

The victim, father of a six-month old girl, was shot dead on Aug 5, 2003 at Osama Medical Store in Firdous Colony within the jurisdiction of Gulbahar police.

Jaferry along with absconding accused Yawer Abbas came on a motorcycle around 11:30pm. Jaferry got down and opened fire on Junaid Iqbal while Yawer Abbas remained on the motorcycle.

In all 10 witnesses, including two eye-witnesses Azeem alias Azam and Abdul Aziz, were examined by special public prosecutor Maula Bukhsh Bhatti. Accused Imtiaz Jaferry was arrested on Dec 26, 2003 and the two eye-witnesses identified him as killer during an identification parade before a judicial magistrate on Dec 29. Later, the two witnesses also identified the accused in the trial court.

The judge sentenced the accused to death for the offence of murder and for creating terror and panic among people under Section 7 of the anti-terrorism act. A fine of Rs100,000 was also imposed on the convict, who would have to undergo an additional two-year term in case of default on the payment.

KIDNAPPING FOR RANSOM: An anti-terrorism court put off the hearing of a kidnapping for ransom case against a policewoman after recording the statements of eight-year-old victim girl and her mother.

Yasmeen Tahira has been charged with the kidnapping of her grand-daughter, Nasma, for ransom. The 50-year-old woman was booked and arrested on the complaint of her daughter, Bushra.

Judge Haq Nawaz Baloch of the ATC-5 fixed March 24 for the next hearing after recording the statements of Nasma and Bushra. Both the victim and the complainant supported the prosecution case against the policewoman.

Yasmeen Tahira allegedly kidnapped the girl on Oct 28, 2003 and kept her at different places until she was caught red-handed on Nov 14 at Moro while taking her grand-daughter Nasma to Bahawalpur.

According to the complainant, she lodged a report of her missing daughter with Kalri police and kept on searching for her. She also advertise the missing of her daughter in the press.

Yasmeen allegedly told Bushra that she was in contact with the kidnappers, who were demanding Rs150,000 for Nasma's release. On Nov 14, Yasmeen took Rs5,000 from Bushra for arranging her telephonic conversation with Nasma.

Bushra contacted the Edhi Trust to locate her daughter after receiving a phone call from Hyderabad. The accused woman, Yasmeen Tahira, was caught red-handed while travelling with Nasma in a coach at Moro. The state is being represented by special public prosecutor Mazhar Qayyum.