A Gujranwala anti-terrorism court on Saturday sentenced the main accused in the assassination attempt on former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founding chairman Imran Khan during the Wazirabad, Punjab attack to two separate life terms and imposed a fine of Rs1.5 million.
On November 3, 2022, during the former ruling party's long march in Wazirabad, a gunman, Naveed Bashir, opened fire, injuring Imran Khan, Senator Faisal Javed, and several others, and killing one PTI worker. Police arrested the primary shooter at the scene.
Imran had accused the then coalition government, including the federal interior minister, of being involved in the plot. The first information report (FIR) of the incident was registered at the City Police Station, Wazirabad, on November 7, and a joint investigation team (JIT) was formed under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997.
On Saturday, ATC judge Muhammad Naeem Saleem pronounced the verdict in the case after a hearing. The court sentenced the main accused, Naveed, to two life terms on charges of murder and terrorism. Other two co-accused Tayyab Jahangir Butt and Waqas were acquitted after being granted the benefit of the doubt. Advocate Imran Abbas Supra stated that the prosecution failed to produce any witnesses against Butt.
According to a warrant of commitment of sentence issued to the superintendent of the Gujranwala Central Jail, Naveed was sentenced to life imprisonment separately under Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) Section 302b (premeditated murder) and Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) Section 7a (punishment for acts of terrorism).
Under the two sections, the convict was also ordered to pay compensation of Rs500,000 to the legal heirs of slain PTI worker Moazzam in the form of arrears of land revenue, with further simple imprisonment for six months in case of failure to pay, and to pay a fine of Rs500,000, with further imprisonment for six months in case of default.
As restitution for Areeb, who suffered injuries in the attack, the convict was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for 10 years for causing injury under PPC Section 324 (attempt to commit qatl-i-amd) along with a fine of Rs100,000 with further simple imprisonment for six months in case of default; rigorous imprisonment for 10 years for causing injury under ATA Section 7b and 7c along with a fine of Rs100,000 with further simple imprisonment for six months in case of default; and to pay daman of Rs100,000 and rigorous imprisonment of three years for causing injury under PPC Section 337-Fiii (mutafahimah to any person).
As restitution regarding Meer Umar Farooq, another man who injured in the incident, the convict was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for 10 years for causing injury under PPC Section 324 along with a fine of Rs100,000 with further simple imprisonment for six months in case of default; rigorous imprisonment for 10 years for causing injury under ATA Section 7b and 7c along with a fine of Rs100,000 with further simple imprisonment for six months in case of default; and to pay daman of Rs100,000 and rigorous imprisonment of five years for causing injury under PPC Section 337-Fv (hashimah to any person).
As restitution regarding Imran Yousaf, Naveed was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for 10 years for causing injury under PPC Section 324 (attempt to commit qatl-i-amd) along with a fine of Rs100,000 with further simple imprisonment for six months in case of default; rigorous imprisonment for 10 years for causing injury under ATA Section 7b and 7c along with a fine of Rs100,000 with further simple imprisonment for six months in case of default; and to pay daman of Rs100,000 and rigorous imprisonment of three years for causing injury under PPC Section 337-Fiii (mutafahimah to any person).
As restitution regarding Muhammad Liaquat, the convict was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for 10 years for causing injury under PPC Section 324 (attempt to commit qatl-i-amd) along with a fine of Rs100,000 with further simple imprisonment for six months in case of default; rigorous imprisonment for 10 years for causing injury under ATA Section 7b and 7c along with a fine of Rs100,000 with further simple imprisonment for six months in case of default; and to pay daman of Rs100,000 and rigorous imprisonment of three years for causing injury under PPC Section 337-Fiii (mutafahimah to any person).
The warrant said the sentences would run concurrently and the convict could avail the benefit of the Criminal Procedure Code Section 382-B (period of detention to be considered while awarding sentence of imprisonment).
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ