PHC upholds 50-year murder sentence

PESHAWAR:

The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has rejected an appeal filed by a murder convict and upheld the trial court's verdict of 50 years imprisonment along with a fine of Rs1 million in a gruesome double murder case stemming from a dispute over irrigation water for a wheat crop.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Sahibzada Asadullah and Justice Khurshid Iqbal heard the appeal filed by the convict, Umair, a resident of Ismaila in Swabi district. During the proceedings, the complainant's counsel, Advocate Syed Mubasher Shah, informed the court that the incident took place in April 2022 during the month of Ramazan within the jurisdiction of Kalu Khan Police Station. Two brothers, Syed Al-Abrar and Shehenshah, sons of Muhammad Israar, were brutally murdered, and Umair was nominated as the prime accused.

The trial court in Swabi had sentenced Umair in October 2024 to 50 years in prison along with a fine of Rs1 million. Challenging the conviction, the accused approached the PHC.

Advocate Mubasher Shah argued that the eyewitness testimony, post-mortem report, and other evidence clearly established the accused's involvement, and the trial court had delivered a justified verdict.

After reviewing the evidence and arguments, the High Court dismissed Umair's appeal and upheld the trial court's decision.