OKARA: The additional district and sessions court judge, Muhammad Ashfaq, sentenced two persons to life imprisonment along with a fine of Rs200,000 each in a murder case on Monday.

In June 2022, over a property-related litigation, Abid Shahzad, along with Hamza, shot dead Muhammad Ashfaq and injured Sher Muhammad (when he tried to rescue Ashfaq) at an agriculture tools manufacturing workshop on Okara-Faisalabad Road.

Okara Saddar police registered a case under sections 302, 324, and 34 of the PPC against both convicts.

The court handed down rigorous life imprisonment to Abid Shahzad and Muhammad Hamza, along with a fine as compensation. In case of default on fine payment, both convicts will serve an additional six months in prison. Similarly, under sections 324 and 34 of the PPC, both convicts were handed five years of rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of Rs50,000 each. On default of fine payment, they will serve an additional three months in jail. The police shifted both convicts to Okara district jail.

SHOOTOUT: During a shootout, an injured gunman was arrested while his two accomplices fled on Sunday night.

According to the first information report (FIR), on Sunday night, a Hujra Shah Muqeem patrolling police team was alerted about a robbery incident on Head Gulsher Road near Pul Rajowal. Three armed people had allegedly deprived Qutab Nisar of his motorcycle, CNIC, ATM card and cash.

The police team, headed by Inspector Athar Rashid, rushed to the scene but encountered three armed people on two motorcycles near Head Kharl Kalan. The suspects allegedly opened fire on the police, which was retaliated in defence. After some time, the firing stopped and two armed men were seen escaping on a motorcycle.

The police found a man with a weapon beside the canal. The injured suspect was shifted to the Hujra Rural Health Centre. Police recovered the snatched, unregistered motorcycle and other documents and cash. The Hujra police registered a case under sections 324, 353, 186, and 34 of the PPC along with sections 13-2(a) and 20 of the Punjab Arms Ordinance of 1965.

The injured gunman was identified as Qurban, of Dograi Mandi, Ahmad Abad. He is reportedly involved in 35 heinous crime cases across Kasur and Okara. The injured suspect has yet to disclose the names of his two escaped accomplices, as stated in the FIR.

Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2025