Five years on: Gilgit court sentences target killer to death

The judge also imposes a fine of Rs0.4 million on each of the convicts

GILGIT: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Gilgit handed the death penalty to a man who was involved in a murder which triggered large-scale sectarian violence in the region five years ago.

ATC awarded death penalty to Hidayat Hussain while Imran Hussain was sentenced to 27 years jail. The judge also imposed a fine of Rs0.4 million on each of the convicts.

Two other suspects, Sajid Hussian and Imran Haider, were exonerated on the benefit of the doubt.

Abdul Wakeel, a resident of Diamer, was travelling to his native village when armed assailants intercepted his vehicle near Nagral in Gilgit in January 2012. The assailants proceeded to shoot him in front of his six-year-old son.

After a few days, armed men attacked at least two passenger buses in Diamer and Kohistan, killing 50 passengers.

The attacks on buses corresponded to a string of target killings leading to tense situation in Gilgit.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 3^rd, 2017.