MULTAN: A two-member bench of the Lahore High Court on Tuesday upheld the capital punishment awarded to the mastermind of Sakhi Sarwar shrine twin blasts and life imprisonment to a ‘would-be suicide bomber’.

The court rejected the appeal of the prosecution against four suspects who were acquitted by the trial court.

In March 2013, DG Khan Anti-Terrorism Court No. 2 Judge Asif Majeed Awan announced the verdict after a 22-month trail while he was reportedly receiving threats from terrorists.

Two blasts on April 3, 2010, at the Sakhi Sarwar shrine had claimed 52 lives and injuries to 172 people, including women and children.

Two FIRs were registered with Sakhi Sarwar police station by the Border Military Police and DG Khan district police.

The special court awarded death sentence on 52 counts to the mastermind and life imprisonment on 52 counts to the suicide bomber.

The life imprisonment awarded to Umar Fidai is equal to 1,300 years. Umar was one of three suicide bombers present at the time of the attack.

Umar’s jacket did not detonate and he was arrested in a critical condition. Fidai was reportedly 13 years old at that time.

Behram Khan, also known as Sufi Baba, the mastermind of the attacks, was arrested on the indication of Umar. According to Umar, he had planned and supplied everything to all those involved.

Justice Chaudhry Mushtaq and Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin upheld the punishment of both convicts while rejecting the appeal of prosecution against the acquittal of Muhammad Asghar, Bashir Ahmed, Farooq and Salim Jan.

Initial hearings of the case were held at the anti-terrorism court No. 2 in Dera Ghazi Khan and later the trial was conducted at DG Khan Central Jail.

Published in Dawn, February 4th, 2015

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