GUJAR KHAN, Feb 23: Additional Sessions Judge Mian Muhammad Shafi Friday handed down death sentence on eight counts and Rs0.8 million fine to a man for killing his wife and seven children in Gujar Khan city in 2001 after losing his earnings in a lottery.

Ghulam Muhammad, who ran a Tandoor on Hayat Sar Road, slaughtered his wife Naseem Akhtar, daughters Zareen Akhtar, 14, Nasreen Akhtar, 12, Tasleem Akhtar, 11, Shamim Akhtar, 5, Zarmeen Akhtar, 3, and sons Khurram Shahzad, 13, and Ummar Shahzad, one and a half-year-old, on August 7, 2001.

After committing the crime the killer ran away to Lahore. However, he came back after a week when his conscience pricked him for killing his own family. He was arrested by the late ASP Syed Hassan Raza and presented before the media persons at his office.

Ghulam Muhammad told the media persons that he could not feed his family and pay utility bills after losing all his money in the prize bond lottery which drove him to kill his family.

He told the investigators that he had spiked the food and slaughtered his family members one by one at midnight. After killing his family he fled to Lahore to have an alibi for the incident.

During the proceedings of the case the accused deviated from his confessional statement. The learned judge remarked that he was a brutal killer and deserved no concession.

Meanwhile, the same judge awarded 10-year rigorous imprisonment and Rs20,000 fine to Aamer Nawaz for sexually assaulting a boy.