OKARA: An additional district and sessions court on Thursday handed down death sentence to a woman and her friend and 10-year rigorous imprisonment to their accomplice along with fine in the murder case of her husband.

In January 2022, Gogera police submitted a challan file under sections 302, 337-J, and 201 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) for the murder of Haji Shaukat Ali. According to the case, Shukat Ali was given a drink and when he became unconscious, his wife Nasreen Bibi, along with her friend Saleem Sarwar and their accomplice Mohsin Shan, axed him to death.

After the court proceedings, Additional District and Sessions Judge Shahzad Ahmad concluded the case by awarding capital punishment to Nasreen Bibi under section 302(b) PPC as Tazir.

She was also directed to pay Rs300,000 as compensation to the legal heirs of Shaukat Ali, and in default, she would further suffer six months of simple imprisonment (SI).

Nasreen Bibi was also sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) under section 337-J. She received a seven-year imprisonment under section 201 PPC along with a fine of Rs 00,000, and in default, she would suffer an additional three months of simple imprisonment. As she was on bail, she was ordered to be taken into custody for the execution of the sentence, with all the imprisonments running concurrently.

Saleem Sarwar was also convicted under section 302(b) of PPC and sentenced to death as Tazir for committing the murder of Shaukat Ali. The death sentence is subject to confirmation by the Lahore High Court under section 374 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). He was also directed to pay Rs300,000 as compensation to the legal heirs of the deceased, and in default, he would further suffer six months of simple imprisonment.

She was also sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment under section 201 PPC along with a fine of Rs100,000, and in default, he would undergo an additional three months of simple imprisonment.

Mohsin Shan was convicted under section 302(b) of PPC as Tazir and sentenced to 10- year RI as no direct motive for the crime was attributed to him. He was also on bail and was ordered to be taken into custody for the execution of the sentence.

Published in Dawn, June 28th, 2024