KARACHI, May 27: The additional district and sessions judge, West Mohammad Shahid Shafiq, sentenced on Saturday a man to life for the murder of a PPP activist.

The judge also ordered Bakhat Zada to pay a compensation of Rs100,000 to the family of victim Naseem alias Waseem. The convict would have to undergo an additional six-month term in case of default on the payment of compensation.

The case against Bakhat Zada was registered on the complaint of victim’s elder brother, Mohammed Saleem on Dec 12, 2000.

He reported to the court that around 5:30pm the accused along with his two accomplices, Akhtar Ali alias Chakri and Abdullah came to his Peerabad house and they started smoking hashish.

The accused started quarrelling with the complainant when he asked the three not to indulge in smoking. In the meanwhile, complainant’s brother also came out of his house and the accused Bakhat Zada opened fire, fatally injuring Naseem.

The police arrested the three accused and charge-sheeted them in the court. However, later the court acquitted accused Akhtar and Abdullah on Nov 15, 2002 after the victim’s family struck a compromise with them.

The prosecution, assisted by complainant’s counsel Shahdat Awan, examined in all 10 prosecution witnesses, who also included six eye-witnesses to the incident.

The eye-witnesses -- Anwar Shah, Risalat Khan, Shah Room, Fazal Malik, Manzoor Gul and Mohammad Saleem -- identified accused Bakhat Zada as the one who had shot dead the victim.