QUETTA: Three Iranian security personnel booked for killing a Pakistani national and injuring another in Mashkel were acquitted by the Sessions Judge of Kharan on Saturday after successful negotiations between the victims’ family and the accused.
According to a senior official of the Balochistan government, the Iranians were released under the Qasas Ordinance. Under the ordinance, the accused are obliged to pay compensation to the family of the deceased. The amount of money in this instance was undisclosed.
The Iranian personnel appeared before Sessions Judge Kharan Mir Abdul Rasheed Umrani; the parents of the victim were also present. The victims’ family submitted a statement, declaring their wish to withdraw charges. Abdul Ghani Reki, the father of victim Saeed Reki, had earlier lodged the case against the Iranian personnel.
Following a tightening of security along the Iranian border, on December 31, 2011, the three Iranians entered Pakistani territory in Mashkel tehsil of Washuk District and shot dead Saeed. They also injured his younger brother Ismail Gul Reki, who is reportedly in his early teens.
Pakistani security personnel had chased and arrested the three men, and handed them over to the Balochistan Levies for legal proceedings. Law enforcement agencies booked the three for manslaughter and border violation.
The sessions judge considered the statement by the victims’ family and acquitted the three men. However, the court fined the security personnel Rs9,000 each, under the Foreigners Act, for violating the Iran-Pakistan border.
Announcing the judgment, the court ordered the Mashkel administration to deport the security personnel to Iran.
“The personnel will soon be handed over to Iran,” a Balochistan government official said.
Local tribal elders played a role in arranging negotiations between the victims’ family and the arrested security personnel.
Earlier, Iran closed the border along Mashkel after the arrest of its security personnel and also approached the Pakistan government for their immediate release. However, Pakistan had refused to release the personnel for violating border rules and killing the Pakistani national.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 15th, 2012.
COMMENTS (26)
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Any guess what was the amount paid?
I think it's a good precedence by pakistan govt. Helpful in "strategic relations".
would be helpful in containing our evils like India Israil and USA.
Good job
Did the family members get "Iranian Green Card" as well.
Where are the articles, protests, and outrage? Oh, i forgot these guys were not Indian/American/Israeli, etc etc!
@Sam: so you are against islam
@Umer:
But did the family forgive or were they made to forgive, like in Raymond Davis's case?
@Umer: I am sure you were not so magnanimous in Raymond Davis case.
@umer The problem is that it creates a different type of justice for the rich and poor. Poor can't afford to pay Qisas and will be hanged but rich can so will go free. And in a country like Pakistan if a rich kills the poor who knows how much pressure the rich person puts on the poor family to accept the Qisas money and let the murderer go. Don't you think laws should be equal for everyone?
@Cautious,
What? In the 21st century, rich men could afford expensive lawyers to exonerate them from their crimes. Ever heard the infamous Simpson case, Michael Jackson's case and others which never made it to the news? How did these people walk free? Don't talk about justice when you could not deliver yourself. Go and read the ratio of Blacks and Whites imprisoned by the 21st century justice system.
@Umer: If TTP also paid 'blood money' then all will be fine?
if they killed the man in retaliation, it should be probed, but for illegal entry into the country they were right to be fined.
If the family agrees then what's the problem? What's wrong with forgive and forget?
This law of blood money is made and implemented for the benefits of rich killers. Poor killers who cannot afford to pay the big sums get the punishment while the rich go free and live happily thereafter! Justice Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
The Qisas law makes mockery of justice. The rich can pay and not go to prison and the poor are consigned to prison. Money can buy everything and thats what the Qisas law says.
@fawad: the hanging rope is the for the poor who can't pay up. But to be fair, Pakistan as a Islamic country is following this Islamic law which is part of the sharia. So there is no contradiction here. The law sounds unfair against the poor but has the sanction of religion.
Nothings wrong with the rule, it doesnt mean that someone pays money and get rid off, it is only done when the victims family agrees to get Qasas money and forgive
i want Qasas law to be revoked.this law is not acceptable when rich and powerful can kill someone and get away with punishment by paying money.its great injustice to victims.i reject this law.
Qasas Law, another of the blessings of Zia-ul-Haq bestowed upon us apart from hudood and blasphemy laws.
Isn't our national hypocrisy evident from the headline of this article itself. Compare it with what was being written when Raymond Davis case was hot. Since this time the murderers happen to be our Friend Iranians the bye line is "Border Violation". Well take the money for the dead and stay content that this has been done in line with the Sharia law. Just make sure that the blood money actually reaches the victims 'real' families.
When will we be rid of this barbaric law? Doesn't the state have an interest in prosecuting murder? The rich can get away with murder in this country.
@Sam: Why are you getting so upset? This is a norm. People go scot free by using Qasas almost on a daily basis in Pakistan. If people don't like this law they can try to have it changed but then who has the courage to face the Religious parties when it comes to Islamic Laws.
crap. i reject this injustice. Qasas has been used to protect powerful.so i can kill some one and pay money and get myself out of jail.Qasas law should be revoked.These people killed innocent civilians. they should pay the price.
Great, any foreigner can come inside Pakistan and kill any Pakistani and then give us blood money. If Law of Qasas has helped anyone it’s not the victims.
so,now one can pay one's way out of murder? no matter how many ppl you kill,just have deep pockets?
An obvious flaw in your approach to justice -- the victims are not the only people who are harmed when someone breaks the law. Maybe it's time you join the 21st century - if not then quit whining about the Raymond Davis and the others who use your system to evade real justice.