RAWALPINDI, July 30: Two persons were handed down capital punishment while another was sentenced to life imprisonment in two separate murder cases.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Arshad Iqbal awarded death sentence to a person, Yasir Iqbal, in the murder of a retired army junior commissioned officer (JCO).

He also imposed Rs200,000 fine on the convict which would be given as compensation to the bereaved family, the court observed in its verdict. Another person, Ghalib Hussain, was sentenced to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs100,000. This amount will be given to the heirs of the victim.

Four co-accused - Mohammad Razzaq, Mulazim Hussain, Arif and Khasar - were exonerated after the prosecution failed to prove them guilty. The prosecution had contended that those nominated in the case had killed Sobaidar (retired) Mohammad Hussain over a petty issue in the jurisdiction of Kahuta Police Station.

In another case, Additional District and Sessions Judge Mian Mohammad Shafi awarded death sentence to a person, Abid. He also imposed Rs100,000 fine on the convict. In case of non-payment of fine, the convict will have to undergo another six months of jail-term, the court observed in its verdict.

The court exonerated two co-accused, Tariq and Jamil, due to lack of evidence. According to the prosecution, those nominated in the case had stabbed to death a person, Khurram Shahzad, over a business- related issue.