Multiple punishments: 'Imprison them for 7 and 14 years, and then hang them,' orders court

Men found guilty of murdering two policemen given prison and death sentences.

KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) sentenced on Friday, two men to death on in a case pertaining to the murder of two policemen.

The ATC-II found Muhammad Umar and Muhammad Faazil guilty of killing police officials Muhammad Khan and Muhammad Arif within the limits of Mochko police station in 2012. The men were also accused of injuring a passerby, Lal Muhammad, and taking away Arif's SMG along with two magazines and 60 rounds of ammunition.

The court also sentenced Umar and Faazil to imprisonment for seven years each under section 13-D of the Pakistan Arms Ordinance for carrying unlicensed weapons and Umar was given another seven years for snatching Arif's gun. In addition, the court ordered to forfeit all moveable and immoveable property of the accused.

The evidence of the 13 eyewitness was backed by medical evidence, recovery of empty shell casings from crime scene and the recovery of Arif's gun on the indication of the accused persons from a cottage in Ittehad Town.

The court observed that testimony of the police witnesses cannot be disqualified under Article 30 of Qanoon-e-Shahadat, adding that evidence of police officials cannot be discarded merely for belonging to the police force unless it was found out that they were biased, have enmity or attempted to involve the accused falsely. The court did not find any reason to disqualify their testimonies while there was no motive for the witnesses to testify against the accused in this case.

Several cases under sections 302 (premeditated murder), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 324 (attempted murder), 392 (punishment for robbery), 397 (robbery or dacoity, with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code read with Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, had been registered against the accused at Mochko police station.

After the pronouncement of the verdict, the judge remanded them back to prison along with the conviction warrants to serve out the sentences subject to the confirmation of the provincial high court.