KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Thursday handed down death sentence to a man and life imprisonment to his accomplice for killing two clerics associated with a banned outfit in a targeted attack at a seminary in the Gulshan-i-Iqbal area.

In 2016, Iqra Darul Atfal seminary administrator Mufti Ghulam Akbar and his guest Mufti Kamran Hussain were shot by two unidentified men, along with their accomplices, at the seminary in Gulshan Block 6. Mufti Kamran died on the spot whereas Mufti Akbar succumbed to his wounds at a local hospital.

After recording evidence and hearing the prosecution and defence counsel Abid Zaman and Mushtaque Ahmed Shaikh and others, the judge of the ATC-VI found Syed Mohsin Hussain alias Talha alias Pagal and Zainul Abideen alias Zain Sunny guilty of the offences pertaining to terrorism, murder and possession of illicit weapons.

Convict Mohsin was sentenced to death on four counts for the murder of two clerics said to be affiliated with the proscribed Sipah-i-Sahaba, and for committing an act of terrorism. He was also sentenced to additional five-year in prison for possessing an illicit weapon.

“The accused Syed Mohsin Hussain alias Talha alias Pagal in the execution of death sentence shall be hanged by the neck till he died,” the court ruled.

Iqra Darul Atfal administrator and his guest were shot dead in Gulshan-i-Iqbal in 2016

Co-accused Zain was awarded life imprisonment on four counts — for the killings and the act of terrorism — along with a five-year sentence for possession of an illicit weapon.

The court also directed both convicts to pay a total of Rs4 million each as compensation to the legal heirs and imposed a fine of Rs50,000 each. In case of default, they would serve additional imprisonment.

The ATC judge also convicted Syed Muhammad Abbas Hussain alias Ashir alias Hamza and sentenced him to five years in prison for possessing an illegal weapon.

The court acquitted Syed Abbas Hussain Jafferi alias Chotu and Abbas alias Ashir from murder charges.

Regarding the proclaimed absconders the court directed that the case file be kept dormant until their arrest.

Published in Dawn, May 16th, 2025