OKARA: An additional district and sessions judge (AD&SJ) of the Model Criminal Trial Court Dipalpur handed down death sentence to a man in a murder case, along with fine and compensation amounting to Rs2 million.

The convict, Rizwan, son of Mukhtar Ahmad, had shot dead Falak Sher, a resident of village Makhna Takkar Ka, Dipalpur, in mid-July 2024 after the victim rejected his marriage proposal.

Basirpur police had registered a case under Sections 302, 324, and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) on the complaint of the deceased’s wife, Rashidan Begum. She also filed a private complaint titled Rashidan Begum vs Rizwan, arising out of FIR No. 909/2024.

The trial was conducted by AD & SJ Mustahsan Ahmad Minhas. Upon conclusion of proceedings, the court sentenced the convict to death, imposed a fine of Rs1 million, and ordered an additional Rs1m as compensation to be paid to the legal heirs of the deceased.

The convict has been shifted to District Jail Okara.

ENCOUNTER: A suspected gunman was killed while his accomplice managed to escape during an alleged police encounter late on Tuesday night.

According to the first information report (FIR), a Crime Control Department (CCD) team led by Inspector Mehr Ismail was on routine patrol on Okara-Jabooka Road when two suspects riding an unregistered motorcycle were signalled to stop near Kulyana Estate, village 29/2R, within the jurisdiction of Tayyab Saeed Shaheed police station.

The suspects allegedly abandoned the motorcycle, took cover in roadside bushes, and opened fire on the police. The CCD team retaliated and asked them to surrender, but the exchange of fire continued for eight to 10 minutes.

After the firing stopped, police found an injured man identified as Muhammad Khan alias Lalli, a resident of Hayatwala in Dipalpur tehsil. His accomplice fled under the cover of darkness.

Police claimed to have recovered an illegal weapon with two live bullets, 1,020 grams of charas, and a motorcycle from the scene. The injured suspect later succumbed to his injuries while being shifted from the spot. The FIR said he was allegedly hit by bullets fired by his fleeing accomplice.

According to the CCD, the deceased suspect was involved in drug smuggling and allegedly used drones to transport narcotics across the border.

On the complaint of Inspector Mehr Ismail, the CCD police registered a case under Sections 302, 324, 353, 186, and 34 of the PPC, along with Section 13(2) (a) of the Arms Ordinance 2015 and Section 9(1) (3C) of the Control of Narcotic Substances Act 1997.

Published in Dawn, April 23rd, 2026