Appeal dismissed: Death sentence upheld

LAHORE: A division bench of Lahore High Court (LHC) dismissed an appeal against the award of a death penalty to a man convicted of burning his wife and injuring his daughter. The counsel for Zafar Iqbal, the convict, said he had been implicated in the case at the behest of his in-laws. He said an anti-terrorism court had awarded him the death penalty despite feeble prosecution and evidence. The counsel urged the court to set the sentence aside and acquit Iqbal. A deputy prosecutor told the court that the convict had doused Sobia, his wife, with kerosene oil and set her ablaze. He said Kashaf, his daughter, was also injured in the episode. The counsel said the verdict of the anti-terrorism court was based on tangible evidence and witnesses’ statements. The court dismissed the appeal and upheld the sentence after listening to the arguments.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 13^th, 2015.