HYDERABAD: Sister of late Tania Khaskheli, who was killed by her suitor over rejection of his marriage proposal in 2017, has vowed to challenge trial court’s verdict in Sindh High Court to seek capital punishment for the main culprit who was awarded life imprisonment in an “open and shut case”.

Dua Khaskheli flanked by Pasban Democratic Party chairman Altaf Shakoor and vice chairman Rafiq Khaskheli told a press conference at local press club here on Wednesday that she feared the convicts would kill her family after they were released from prison.

She said that one of the co-accused in the case, Aali Nohani, was acquitted of the charge of complicity while the main accused Khan Mohammad alias Khano Nohani had been awarded life imprisonment, which was not enough in such an “open and shut case”.

She said that another accused, Maula Bux alias Mauloo Nohani was still at large as he had absconded during the course of the trial. Some highly influential sardars from Balochistan and Sindh had approached her family during the trial of the case with the request to pardon the accused but they had refused, she said.

Altaf Shakoor said that they would engage a panel of lawyers for filing appeal against the verdict. Samad Khaskheli had appeared in the trial court in consultation with late Tania’s family, he said.

He said that Ghulam Qadir, Tania’s father and complainant in the case, was too ill to attend the press conference. The case was heard first in Hyderabad and then shifted to Sehwan where the trial court’s judge announced the verdict on Tuesday, he said.

He said the appeal would be filed in Sindh High Court soon and lamented that justice was not done in Waziran Chachar, Nazim Jokhio incidents but they would fight this case at all costs. There was clear evidence that the culprit had barged into the house, murdered Tania and fled along with Aali Nohani, he said.

He said that late Tania’s family would now seek life imprisonment for Aali. Tania was murdered after her family refused Khano’s marriage proposal, he said.

Rafiq Khaskheli informed journalists that Tania’s family was not ready to change the counsel in the middle of the trial. Appeal would be filed to seek enhancement in sentences for the main accused, he said.

Published in Dawn, November 23rd, 2023