Court awards death sentence in murder case

MAILSI:

An additional sessions court in Mailsi sentenced a man to death after finding him guilty of murdering an 18-year-old local cricketer in an alleged honour killing and subsequently burning the body.

Additional Sessions Judge Mailsi Irfan Naseem Tarar announced the verdict in the case involving the killing of Zain Arain, a young cricketer from a rural area, in Mouza Ratha Saee.

According to court records and prosecution details, the accused Akram Khan Pathan called the victim to his house on January 17, 2025, where he allegedly killed him using a sharp-edged weapon.

The accused then beheaded the victim and later set the body on fire in a nearby field in an attempt to destroy evidence.

The prosecution stated that the accused suspected the victim of having an alleged illicit relationship with his wife, which led to the brutal killing.

Following the incident, police from Matru police station, led by then Station House Officer Chaudhry Ashraf Zohar and Investigation Officer Rao Yasir Nawaz, launched an investigation and arrested the accused along with the murder weapon.

Police officials said that strong investigative work and effective prosecution led to the conviction, with the court finding the accused guilty beyond doubt.

After the announcement of the verdict, the legal heirs of the deceased cricketer expressed satisfaction over the judgment, calling it the delivery of long-awaited justice.