Man sentenced to death for killing warden

Raeed had shot dead Sarwar for going wrong way during Iftari rush in 2018

RAWALPINDI:

Minutes before Iftari on the 27 of Ramazan in 2018, a motorist shot dead a traffic warden, Shahid Sarwar, for stopping him from going wrong way and causing traffic jam.

On Thursday, ATC Judge Raja Pervaiz Akhtar awarded three-time death penalty to Raja Raeed and his accomplice Imran Iqbal and imposed fine worth Rs1.5 million on each of them.

In case of a non-payment of fines, the suspects would have to spend additional 18 months in jail.

As Judge Akhtar announced the verdict, police handcuffed Iqbal, who was on bail. Raeed was already behind bars.

The suspects were charged with killing Sarawar in Ramzan of 2018 when he tried to stop them on a traffic violation near Committee Chowk.

Warden Sarwar had stopped the suspects’ car which was coming the wrong way owing to which the traffic movement near Committee Chowk had stalled. However, the suspects opened fire at the traffic official owing to which he died on the spot.

Iqbal had managed to flee the crime scene whereas Raeed was caught by the people. There was huge public outrage over the senseless killing of Sawar three days before Eid.

Waris Khan Police had booked the suspects on June 12, 2018. Both suspects have been shifted to Adyala Jail.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 13^th, 2020.