An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Karachi on Saturday sentenced former sessions judge of Mithi, Sikandar Lashari, to death in a case concerning the murder of a youth.

Lashari was charged with the 2014 murder of the son of former sessions judge of Jacobabad, Khalid Hussain Shahani.

Announcing the verdict in the case, the ATC sentenced Lashari and Irfan Bengali, a co-accused in the case, to death.

Aqib Shahani was murdered in Hyderabad on February 19, 2014. Aqib aka Kashif was driving his car when gunmen in another vehicle intercepted him on Thandi Sarak, got him out and sprayed him with bullets. His mother, two sisters and a cousin were with him in the car.

His cousin, Hunain Hussain, later lodged the case (FIR 12/2014) against unidentified culprits.

On Feb 26, 2014, the victim’s family moved an application requesting the court to grant permission under Section 197 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) to prosecute Judge Lashari for the teenager's murder.

Four suspects including Ghulam Abbas Siyal and Barkat Lashari are absconding in the case.

The statements of at least 22 witnesses were recorded over the course of the case proceedings.

In September 2017, an ATC had rejected an application of Lashari seeking the transfer of the murder case to a sessions court for trial.