17 October 2024 :

A special Pakistani court has convicted a man on blasphemy charges, sentencing him to death along with life imprisonment, and imposing a fine of Rs 0.7 million.
Muhammad Afzal Majoka, the judge of the special court established this year to handle cases under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016 (PECA), delivered the verdict on October 12, 2024.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Qaiser Sajjad, a resident of Tehsil Gujjar Khan, District Rawalpindi, on April 1, 2021, following a complaint regarding the sharing of blasphemous content.
The court sentenced Sajjad to death under Section 295-C and life imprisonment under Section 295-B of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) for blasphemy. Additionally, he was sentenced to seven years of imprisonment under Section 11 of PECA and fined a total of Rs 700,000 under various sections.
The court also ordered the superintendent of Adiala Jail to imprison the convict.

24 September 2024 :

Shagufta Kiran, a 40-year-old Pakistani Christian woman, was found guilty of blasphemy and sentenced to death under Article 295-C of the Penal Code for defaming the Prophet Muhammad through a message on the social media WhatsApp, Agenzia Fides reported on September 20, 2024.
As lawyer Rana Abdul Hameed points out, a judge of the first instance of the Special Court of Islamabad, which implements the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), also imposed a fine of 300,000 rupees (about a thousand US dollars) at the end of a trial that lasted about three years. The defense, however, stated that "Kiran was not the author of this content and had simply forwarded it in a chat without reading it," but this was not enough to prevent a conviction.
The woman, who has a husband and four children, was arrested on July 29, 2021 in Islamabad by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for sharing blasphemous content in a WhatsApp group in September 2020. She is imprisoned in Adyalaa Central Prison in Rawalpindi and will serve her sentence there until her sentence is carried out. The defense attorney has announced that he will appeal to the Islamabad High Court, the second instance.
According to the lawyer, "the person who wrote the incriminating message is free; the person who only commented on it without approving the content, on the other hand, has been convicted. We believe that Shagufta was accused because she is a Christian: she is an easy target and vulnerable."
Meanwhile, in Pakistan, the possible crime of blasphemy on the Internet and social media, considered by Islamic organizations as "a growing threat that must be punished with the utmost severity", is being closely monitored.
The Federal Police's Cybercrime Unit monitors and reports to the police those who post blasphemous content online.

18 September 2024 :

A Pakistan court awarded a death sentence to a man from the Punjab province for insulting the Prophet Muhammad on social media, a court official said on September 14, 2024.
Blasphemy, especially insult to the Prophet, is an offense punishable by death in Pakistan. "Additional Sessions Court Judge Shahbaz Iqbal Tarar of Sarai Alamgir on September 13 handed down the death sentence to Irfan (who goes by a single name) on the charges of insulting the Prophet," the court official told PTI.
He said the court convicted the suspect and also imposed a fine of PKR 100,000 on him.
Irfan, a resident of Sarai Alamgir, some 200 km from Lahore, was arrested this year for allegedly committing blasphemy by making insulting remarks against the Prophet.

30 July 2024 :

Mardan Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on July 27, 2024 convicted a man of committing blasphemy and sentenced him to death along with a fine of Rs100,000.
Police officials said that an FIR was registered against the accused, Shahid alias Shayan, resident of Serai Mohallah, at Shergarh Police Station, under Sections 295-C, 109, 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and Sections 21-1 and 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).
The ATC judge, Syed Aqeel Ejaz, on July 27 convicted Shahid alias Shayan and sentenced him to death, ordering that he be hanged by the neck until death. The judge also imposed a fine of Rs100,000, stating that in default of payment, the accused shall undergo six months of simple imprisonment.
Additionally, Shahid alias Shayan was convicted under Section 7(g) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, receiving a sentence of two years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs30,000. In default of payment, he shall undergo one month of simple imprisonment.
Both sentences will run concurrently, and the convict is given the benefit of Section 382-B of the Criminal Procedure Code (Cr.PC).
The accused is currently in custody and has been sent to jail along with his conviction warrant.
A reference under Section 374 of the CrPC will be submitted to the Peshawar High Court for confirmation of the death sentence. The death sentence shall not be executed until it is confirmed by the Peshawar High Court.

11 July 2024 :

The Anti-Terrorism Court in Sahiwal has sentenced the young Christian Ehsan Shan to death for allegedly sharing a blasphemous post on social media, considered the cause of the violence in Jaranwala on August 16, 2023.
The verdict, published on July 1, 2024 provides that the convict must first serve a total of 22 years in prison and pay a fine of one million rupees.
Ehsan Shan was accused of sharing blasphemous content on the social media site TikTok, which was blamed for the violence in Jaranwala in August 2023.
Following accusations of desecrating the Koran, a mob of militants destroyed and set fire to dozens of Christian homes and about 26 churches in the Christian quarter of the Punjab city. Based on intelligence reports, police arrested several people accused of blasphemy three days after the riots.
According to the police, the young man did not write the blasphemous content himself, but shared it, making it go viral on the Internet.
According to representatives of the local Christian community, the young man is "just a scapegoat" while those who attacked and burned churches and Christian homes go unpunished.
Last February, Pakistan's Supreme Court had rejected the prosecution's report on the Jaranwala mass violence, calling it "extremely flawed" as it lacked relevant information and details about the arrests. In a hearing before the Supreme Court, a judicial officer from Punjab province said that after 304 arrests, only 22 complaints had been registered and only 18 charges had been formally filed. Therefore, the court ordered that a new report be prepared. "Now a grave injustice has been done. The verdict against Ehsan Shan symbolizes the virtual death of all Christians in Pakistan today. Only one culprit is identified for the violence and destruction that took place in Jaranwala and that is a Christian," laments the non-governmental organization Centre for Legal Aid, Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS).
The case has reignited the debate on the blasphemy law and its impact, and has drawn renewed attention to the urgent need for legal reform. The law is often misused when it comes to personal disputes. There are numerous cases of Christians, Hindus, Muslims and Ahmadi being wrongly accused and imprisoned, while simple accusations can lead to mass violence and arbitrary executions.

24 April 2024 :

A court in Pakistan has sentenced a 22-year-old student to death on charges of blasphemy over Whatsapp messages, BBC reported on April 8, 2024.
The court in Punjab Province said he had shared blasphemous pictures and videos with the intention to outrage the religious feelings of Muslims.
A 17-year-old was sentenced to life imprisonment as part of the same case. Both have denied wrongdoing.
Blasphemy is punishable by death in Pakistan. Some people have been lynched even before their cases go on trial.
The complaint was filed in 2022 by the cybercrime unit of Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in Lahore, the capital of Punjab.
The case was referred to a local court in the city of Gujranwala.
In the ruling this week, the judges said the 22-year-old was sentenced to death for preparing photos and videos which contained derogatory words about Prophet Muhammad and his wives.
The younger defendant was given a life sentence for sharing the material.
The plaintiff had alleged he had received the videos and photos from three different mobile phone numbers.
The FIA said that it had examined the plaintiff's phone and established that "obscene material" had been sent to him.
Defence lawyers argued that the two students had been "trapped in a false case".
The father of the death-row convict, whose identity has not been disclosed, told the BBC that he was filing an appeal in the Lahore High Court.
The other student was sentenced to life imprisonment instead of the death penalty because he is a minor, the court said.

23 January 2024 :

Additional District and Sessions Judge (ASJ) Muhammad Tahir Aslam awarded death penalty and imposed Rs100,000 on a drug dealer in Muzaffargarh on January 15, 2024.
According to the prosecution, Qureshi police arrested a notorious drug dealer Sher Zaman on June 7, 2022, when he was trying to smuggle drugs from Loralai to Punjab.
The police had recovered over 46 kilograms of Hashish from his possession and registered a case against him.
District Police Officer (DPO) Syed Husnain Haider lauded the police team for completing the investigation and prosecution without delay.

03 July 2024 :

Two men on July 1, 2024 were sentenced to death and three times life imprisonment in the Ganjmandi police station bomb blast case by verdict of Judge Malik Ijaz Asif of the Special Anti-Terrorism Court of Rawalpindi.
Together with the sentences awarded for crimes of murder, wounding and ammunition recovery, they received a total of 23 years of imprisonment, fine of Rs500,000 as damages and a an additional fine of Rs450,000.
The criminals, Adil Khan and Nusrat Khan, were also present in the court room. The court declared in its decision that taking human lives through terrorism is a very heinous and serious crime. It was said that no concession could be given to anyone for such a crime, and it was ordered that the two criminals should be hanged on the gallows until both of them die. After the delivery of the verdict, both the criminals were transferred to Adiala Jail in an armoured police vehicle.
The case was registered by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) on December 13, 2020. As per case records, a woman named Yasmeen was killed and five others were injured during the bombing incident.
Both criminals had initially fled but were later arrested by the CTD, who also recovered weapons and explosives from their possession.

12 November 2024 :

A military court has sentenced a soldier to death in a case pertaining to rape and murder of a shepherd boy in Chhore, Dawn reported on November 9, 2024.
Umerkot SSP Uzair Ahmed Memon told Dawn that Rahim Dad Malokhani was court-martialled and handed down capital punishment.He was handed over to local police who sent him to the Hyderabad central prison for the execution of the verdict.
According to an FIR lodged by victim’s brother Gul Hassan Mangrio at the Chhore police station, on April 28, 13-year-old Ali Hassan had gone to receive payment for a bottle of honey he had sold to Rahim Dad.
The complainant stated that when the boy did not return home in Khet Singh village at his usual time, the family mounted a search for him and found his body in bushes behind the Combined Military Hospitals in the evening.
He said the marks of torture on the neck and other parts of the body were visible and there were signs that he might have been criminally assaulted before being killed.
The suspect, who was a resident of Hamzo Malokhani village in Tando Adam taluka, was arrested immediately after the boy’s body was found and he had confessed to the crime.
Umerkot SSP Uzair Ahmed Memon confirmed to Dawn on November 8 that police received a letter from Pakistan Army which said Rahim Dad Malokhani was awarded death penalty after a court martial.
The brief letter seen by the reporter read “And whereas the said Field General Court Martial on the day of 13 June, 2024, passed the following sentence upon Lance Naik Rahim Dad (No.2801287), 57 Punjab Regiment: To suffer death as tazir’ by being hanged by the neck until he be dead”.

30 October 2024 :

A Chak Jhumra court has sentenced four police personnel, including a head constable, to death and imposed a fine of Rs1 million for their involvement in a fabricated police encounter that occurred six years ago in the Millat Town area, The Tribune reported on October 29, 2024.
The court acquitted an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) who was also implicated in the case.
The ruling was issued by Additional and Sessions Judge Sajida Akhtar, who presided over the case concerning the alleged encounter that took place on August 8, 2018, at approximately 9:00pm near Bagh Wali Pully in Millat Town.
The encounter resulted in the deaths of two residents, Arsalan son of Liaquat and Usman son of Manzoor Hussain, under disputed circumstances.
The police personnel convicted in the case include ASI Javed Akhtar, Head Constable Asghar Ali, Constable Falak Sher, Constable Faisal Rehman, and PQRS employee Waqas.
The court found sufficient evidence to convict Asghar Ali, Waqas, Falak Sher, and Faisal Rehman, sentencing them to death and fining them Rs1 million each.
However, ASI Javed Akhtar was acquitted due to a lack of evidence against him.
The prosecution was initiated by Sajid Mahmood, a resident of 7-J B Panjore, who filed a complaint against the police personnel.
According to the prosecution, the deceased individuals, Arsalan and Usman, were riding a motorcycle and were on their way to Bagh Wali Pully after having shawarma when they were stopped by police employees, who then opened fire, killing them.
After a six-year-long legal battle, the court issued its ruling, leading to the immediate arrest of the four convicted officers, who were subsequently sent to jail to serve their sentences.

22 October 2024 :

A model court has handed down death sentence to a man in a five-year-old case pertaining to the murder of a labour leader, The News reported on October 19, 2024.
Babar Siraj was found guilty of shooting to death Syed Ashraf Ali, then general secretary of the Functional Labour Union of the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA), over a dispute in July 2019.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Aziz Ur Rehman Junejo of the Model Criminal Trial Court (East) observed that the prosecution had produced sufficient evidence to prove that on the day of the incident, the victim along with his son Syed Talha Ashraf and Tanveer Ahmed, then chairman of the union, was present outside the SBCA canteen when the accused armed with a deadly weapon turned up there and fired at him.
The judge sentenced the convict to death and ordered him to pay Rs1 million as compensation to the legal heirs of the deceased. In case he did not pay the amount, he would have to undergo additional six-month imprisonment.
The court further sentenced the accused to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment with a Rs50,000 fine in a separate case lodged over possession of an unlicensed weapon. The death sentence awarded to the convict is subject to confirmation by the Sindh High Court.
On March 18, 2021, a sessions court had convicted the accused in both cases. However, he challenged his conviction in the Sindh High Court that later remanded his cases back to the trial court to frame a joint charge in both cases and pass a consolidated judgment after conducting de novo trial.
According to the prosecution, the complainant, Syed Talha Ashraf, stated that his father Syed Ashraf Ali Shah was the general secretary of the Functional Labour Union. He said that a week before the incident, absconding accused Arif Mota, who was a stepbrother of his father, and Siraj, defaced pictures of the deceased and Pir Pagara on posters by spitting pan, upon which the deceased man had admonished them and Ebrahim Kaka, chairman of the People's Unity Union.
On the day of the incident, he said he was present along with his father near the canteen of the SBCA when Mota and Siraj came and exchanged hot words with them, adding that Siraj had brought a pistol from the office of Kaka and opened fire on his father injuring him.
The complainant stated that Siraj tried to flee the scene but was caught by people present there while Arif managed to escape. The injured died during treatment at the Liaquat National Hospital.
Meanwhile, the accused man denied the allegations of the prosecution and claimed innocence. Two separate cases were registered under the sections 302 (premeditated murder), 114 (abettor when offence is committed) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and Section 23(i)(a) of the Sindh Arms Act at the New Town police station.

02 October 2024 :

The Multan Bench of Lahore High Court (LHC) on September 12, 2024 upheld death sentence handed down to 14 members of the Chhotu Gang of the riverine area in a case of killing six policemen.
The court acquitted six other suspects, including Muhammad Hanif, Muhammad Tariq and Muhammad Shafiq, giving them the benefit of the doubt due to lack of evidence.
The case had been registered at the Acha Bangla police station on the complaint of Inspector Pervez Akhtar.
As per the First Information Report, the Chhotu Gang suspects who were proclaimed offenders had opened fire on a police team when it tried to raid their hideout in the Katcha Rojhan area.
The firing resulted in the death of SHO Muhammad Hanif and Constables Ubaidullah, Amanullah, Muhammad Ajmal, Muhammad Tariq and Muhammad Shakeel.
Eight other constables had been injured in the incident, including Aftab Ahmed, Saeed Ahmed, Tanveer Hussain, Muhammad Ashfaq, Zabihullah, Haq Nawaz and Saifullah.
The gang had also taken 24 policemen hostage.
Later, the suspects had been arrested and a large quantity of modern weapons and hand grenades had bene seized from their possession.
An anti-terrorism court had sentenced the accused to death on six counts and other punishments.
The LHC Multan Division Bench upheld the death sentence handed down to the 14 accused and acquitted six others due to lack of evidence after hearing arguments from Punjab Additional Prosecutor General Chaudhry Muhammad Akbar.
The convicts had filed an appeal against the sentence in the high court.
The appellants included Ghulam Rasool alias Chhotu, Nadir, Deen Muhammad, Khalid Khaldi, Ishaq, Akram, Ghulam Haider, Hakim, Razzaq Majid, Nasir, Sher Khan, Jumma alias Bhutta, Rashid, Bahram, Bashir Abdul Wahid, Mujeebur Rehman, Hussain Bakhsh and Pyara.
The division bench comprising Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan and Justice Shehram Sarwar Chaudhry announced the verdict on September 12.

23 September 2024 :

Shangla District and sessions judge on September 21, 2024 handed down death sentence to four ‘contract killers’ and life imprisonment to five others for killing three brothers and their father over property dispute in Bagyar area of Puran in 2021.
According to the case of prosecution, the accused had entered the house of Gul Zareen at midnight and killed him and his three sons except a minor who was saved by the women by hiding him under the blankets.
A murder case was registered on the complaint of Gul Zareen’s daughter in 2021 at police station Alpuri, in which she had nominated her two step brothers Bakht Zaman and Phelwan for planning the murder of her father and brothers.
Sultan Rome advocate, the counsel of complainant party told Dawn that after rounds of trials, the court decided the case and awarded death four times and a fine of Rs 50,000 each to hired assassins Sayab, Sher Alam, Iqbal Hussain and Haji Nawab.
He said the court also sentenced accused Bakht Zaman and Phelwan, sons of slain Gul Zareen to life imprisonment for planning murder of their father and step brothers.
The other co-accused named Jafar Khan, Usman Ghani and Gul Nawab were sentenced to life imprisonment and a fine of Rs 50,000 each for their part in the murder.

07 August 2024 :

A Karachi anti-terrorism court (ATC) sentenced four men to death for abducting and killing two minor boys as well as for raping them and demanding ransom, Dawn reported on August 2, 2024.
The ATC-VII judge, after hearing arguments and recording evidence from both sides, said the court found the accused, Muhammad Qurban alias Irfan, Muhammad Imran alias Mann, Waseem Khan alias Waheed Pathan and Muhammad Ramzan alias Babu Odh guilty of abducting and killing two minor boys as well as raping them and demanding ransom in 2016.
“These convicts shall be hanged by the neck until death, subject to confirmation by the Hon’ble High Court of Sindh,” the court ruled.
Additionally, the court sentenced the four to life imprisonment for offences under sections 377 (rape) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). The convicts were also ordered to pay over Rs2 million each in compensation to the legal heirs of the victim boys.
The court directed that the accused were produced in court from custody and remanded back to jail with the conviction warrants, with directions to serve in jail in accordance with the law.
Regarding the absconding co-accused, the court ruled that the case against absconder Raju Odh be kept on the dormant file until his arrest.
According to the prosecution, complainant Imtiaz Ahmed, the father of one of the missing boys, informed the police that his 10-year-old son Muhammad Hassan went outside to play with his friend but did not return home. During a search for his son, he learnt that his son’s friend Muhammad Shahbaz, also 10 years old, was missing as well. Both fathers then reported the disappearance of their boys to the police.
The next day, a person informed Imtiaz Ahmed that he had received a phone call from someone claiming that the boys were in their custody and demanding Rs50,000 ransom.
Subsequently, complainant Mubarak Ali, the father of Shahbaz, was informed that his son’s body had been found near Khadim Hussain Solangi Goth, Scheme 33.
Upon arriving at the scene, he discovered that his son had suffered a severe head injury.
The father of the another boy also received information about the body of his son lying somewhere.
Later, the police arrested Waseem Khan, and based on his information, other co-accused persons were apprehended and brought before the court.

25 July 2024 :

A model court in Pakistan on July 24, 2024 sentenced four men to death for murdering a teacher over a monetary issue.
Rafiq Ahmed, Usman Ali, Sheeraz, alias Sheri, and Zameer Ahmed, alias Zameer Pathan, were convicted of killing 52-year-old Masood Ahmed outside his residence in Korangi in November 2021.
Additional Sessions Judge Aziz ur Rehman Junejo of the Model Criminal Trial Court (East) ruled that the prosecution had successfully proved its case against the accused persons beyond any shadow of reasonable doubt, awarding death sentence to them for committing Qatl-e-Amad (intentional murder) in the furtherance of common intention.
He also ordered the convicts to pay Rs100,000 each as compensation to the legal heirs of the victim. In case of default, they would have to undergo six-month imprisonment. The capital punishment awarded to the accused is subject to confirmation by the Sindh High Court. They have seven working days to file an appeal against their conviction.
According to state prosecutor Muhammad Ashraf Bhatti, two persons on a motorcycle opened fire on the victim as soon as he left his house for work in his car in the Korangi area on the morning of November 26, 2021. The armed men took away wallet of the victim before fleeing the scene.
The deceased man and one of the accused, Rafiq, had a business relationship involving sale of plots and car, the prosecutor said, adding that Rafiq had an outstanding amount to pay to the deceased. To avoid paying this debt, Rafiq hired Usman and Sheeraz to commit the murder of Masood, he contended, adding that Sheeraz and Usman received the motorcycle and pistol used in the crime from Zameer.
The victim's wife Fozia Masood testified that her late husband and Rafiq were business partners with an outstanding amount of Rs9 million owed by Rafiq to her husband. She said when her husband demanded the amount, Rafiq hired Usman, who along with his co-accused Sheeraz murdered him.
During interrogation, Usman disclosed that Rafiq gave him Rs100,000 to kill his business partner. He admitted that he sought the help of his friend Sheeraz to accomplish the task. Zameer disclosed that he had given the pistol and motorcycle used in the commission of the offence to Sheeraz and Usman. During the trial, the accused, however, claimed innocence saying that they had been falsely implicated in the case.

22 July 2024 :

A sessions court in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi on July 13, 2024 sentenced a convict to death on charges of killing a youth in 2018 for resisting robbery.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Ameeruddin sentenced to death convict Shakoor Khan on for shooting dead Sajid Hussain, 21, when he resisted Khan’s attempt to snatch his mobile phone on September 25, 2018. 
According to the prosecution, Hussain was sitting outside his home in Karachi’s Baldia Town area with his friends when Khan and his accomplice, Shoukat, attempted to rob them. Hussain resisted and a scuffle ensued following which Khan shot Hussain in the chest and fled with the accomplice. Hussain succumbed to his wounds on the way to the hospital. 
“The convict deliberately fired at the deceased from close range while the latter resisted a robbery of a mobile phone alongside co-accused,” the judge’s written order read. 
The court noted that the eyewitness testimonies, police investigation of the crime scene and medical evidence all corroborated the prosecution’s account. 
“Given these circumstances, the death penalty is a fitting punishment as a necessary measure to deter such heinous crimes of murder during robberies and to ensure that justice is served,” the order said. 
The judge ordered Khan to pay compensation of Rs300,000 [$1080] to the legal heirs of the deceased. He also slapped the convict with a 20-year jail sentence for crimes committed under Sections 397 (robbery or dacoity, with an attempt to cause death or grievous hurt) and 392 (punishment for robbery) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
However, the judge said the guilty had the right to appeal against the sentence. 

15 July 2024 :

Special Judge of the Anti-Terrorism Court in Sahiwal, Ziaullah Khan, has sentenced Tariq Sheikh to two death penalties and imposed a fine of Rs1 million for burning his wife, Shazia, alive, The Tribune reported on June 30, 2024.
Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional year of imprisonment.
According to the prosecution, on the night of April 24, 2023, Shazia, a mother of eight, was set on fire by her husband, Tariq Sheikh, in Chak 93 12-L.
Shazia had been living at her parents' home for a year due to marital discord. Tariq Sheikh visited her on the pretext of reconciliation but set her on fire instead.
She was rushed to the hospital with severe burns but succumbed to her injuries.
The court sentenced Tariq Sheikh to death under Section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and imposed a fine of Rs500,000.
Additionally, under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, he received another death penalty and an additional fine of Rs500,000.
The Chichawatni Circle Police Station Shahkot registered the case based on a complaint by Shazia's father, Nizam.

10 July 2024 :

An Attock court has awarded capital punishment to two convicts on charges of killing two persons in two different murder cases registered against them in Jand and Bassal Police stations respectively, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported on July 3, 2024.
In the first case, an Additional District and Session Judge, Raza Ullah Khan, sentenced a convict to death for murdering a man and injuring a woman in Aurangabad area in the limits of Jand Police station.
The judge also imposed fine worth Rs 10 million over convict as damages.
In another case, the judge sentenced to death a man as he found guilty of a killing a man over old enmity in a murder case registered against him at Bassal Police station.
The Judge pronounced the verdict of sentenced to death to convict identified as Imran Ijaz in the case after the completion of the trial.
The court also ordered that the convict would also pay Rs one million as compensation to the heirs of the deceased.

26 June 2024 :

Faisalabad Additional Sessions Judge Abul Hassnat sentenced a man to death for burning his wife alive two years ago in Raza Abad police limits, The Nation reported on June 25, 2024.
According to the prosecution, Naveed Ahmad Mughal, 45, of Naimat Abad, had set his wife, Sanobar Bibi, ablaze after dousing her clothes with petrol over a domestic dispute. As a result, she received severe burn injuries and died in hospital. Raza Abad police had registered a case on the complaint of Fatima Zahra, their daughter, and submitted the challan in court.
After observing witnesses and evidence, Additional Sessions Judge Abul Hassnat awarded the death sentence to the accused. The convict was also directed to pay Rs500,000 in compensation to the family of the deceased or undergo an additional imprisonment of six months.

06 June 2024 :

An antiterrorism court (ATC) in Karachi handed down death sentence on four counts to a man for murdering his wife, two minor children and a young brother-in-law over domestic issues in 2017, Dawn reported on June 1st, 2024.
Muhammad Manan was found guilty of killing his wife Rabia, 25, one-year-old son Rehan, three-year-old daughter Raheela and six-year-old brother-in-law Noor Muhammad within the jurisdiction of the Iqbal Market police station.
The ATC-V judge, who conducted the fresh trial on the direction of the Sindh High Court in the Judicial Complex inside the Central Prison, pronounced his verdict and sentenced the accused to death on four counts of murder under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act besides other relevant laws.
The judge noted that the prosecution successfully proved its charges against the accused. The convict was also ordered to pay Rs600,000 each to the legal heirs of the victims. On default, he would have to serve additional two years in jail.
State prosecutor Khan Muhammad Bhangwar said that according to complainant Sabir Ahmed, his daughter Rabia, then aged 24/25 years, had been divorced. She had a three-year-old daughter Raheela.
He added that then the complainant got his daughter married to Manan. The complainant’s six-year-old son Noor Muhammad was also residing with the couple since their son was born, who was aged one-and-a-half year at the time of the incident.
The prosecutor said that two sons of Manan’s former wife — Asif and Yousuf — became jealous of their stepmother.
On July 12, 2017, Manan and his sons quarrelled with Rabia and subsequently started beating her, along with her minor children and brother, with iron rods.
In its earlier judgement passed in January 2022, the court acquitted Asif and Yousuf by extending them the benefit of doubt.
During the trial, the defence counsel highlighted some discrepancies and contradictions in the evidence of prosecution witnesses (PW), however, the court rejected the defence plea and noted that statements of the PWs were recorded after a considerable period of time of the incident.

05 June 2024 :

In a landmark verdict handed down on June 3, 2024, a murder convict was sentenced to death by the Attock judiciary for his involvement in a murder case dating back to 2021.
The convict, identified as Sajid, was found guilty of brutally killing a man amidst an ongoing feud, sending shockwaves through the Hazro community.
The incident, as detailed in the First Information Report (FIR) filed under sections 302 and 311 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), unfolded within the jurisdiction of the Hazro Police Station. Allegedly, Sajid fatally shot the victim and promptly fled the scene, leaving behind a grieving family and a community in turmoil.
Following diligent investigative work aided by both human intelligence and digital resources, law enforcement apprehended Sajid from his hideout.
Subsequently, the trial commenced, during which the prosecution presented compelling evidence against the accused, linking him directly to the crime.
After meticulous deliberation and weighing the arguments put forth by both the defense and prosecution counsels, the judge delivered a verdict that echoed the cries for justice.
Sajid was pronounced guilty of the cold-blooded murder.

02 May 2024 :

Rawalpindi Additional District and Sessions Judge Raja Faisal Rasheed on April 30, 2024 delivered the verdict in the murder case involving nine women and young girls from the same family residing in the limits of Chauntra police station.
After being found guilty, four criminals were sentenced to death five times over, along with a fine of Rs0.5 million each. Additionally, one criminal was handed down life imprisonment five times, coupled with a fine of Rs0.5 million. The court, however, acquitted seven defendants based on the principle of reasonable doubt.
Describing the crime as barbaric and atrocious, the court said that those responsible for the murder of the nine women and young girls be hanged until their last breath.
Among the convicts, Danish Nawaz, Rab Nawaz, Muhammad Ashraf, and Muhammad Aqib received the death sentence, while Akram Nawaz was sentenced to life imprisonment. All offenders belong to the same family.
The incident took place on July 24, 2020, when a group of criminals launched an attack on the family's residence over a longstanding enmity. Armed men stormed into the house and opened fire at them, killing Arzan Bibi, Nisar Bibi, Salim Akhtar, Sidra, Tayyaba, Anzala, Iman Fatima, and Abida Shaheen. Additionally, a three-year-old child named Usman sustained injuries but managed to escape.
The case was registered based on the report filed by Nizar Abbas, the husband of the deceased Arzan Bibi. The court proceedings spanned four years. Following the verdict, all offenders were transferred to Adiyala Jail under strict security measures.

29 April 2024 :

An antiterrorism court (ATC) in Karachi on April 24, 2024 sentenced a man, said to be associated with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, to death for killing four policemen in a targeted attack in a Korangi area in 2015.
The ATC judge found Mohammad Asif, alias Katoo, guilty of killing Assistant Sub-Inspector Aqeel Ahmed, constables Mohammad Anwar, Jameel Ahmed and Mohammad Akhtar at the Hanif Nihari House in Korangi.
However, the court acquitted co-accused Faheem Ahmed Lodhi due to lack of evidence.
The verdict was pronounced after recording evidence at the judicial complex inside the central prison.
The judge also handed down a collective 18-year additional imprisonment for the offences under Sections 397 (robbery or dacoity), 324 (attempted murder) read with Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act and under Section 23(i) of the Sindh Arms Act 2013.
The court imposed a fine of Rs800,000 on the convict and in case of default he would undergo an additional 17-month imprisonment.
However, the court ruled that all the sentences would run concurrently.
According to the prosecution, the policemen were having lunch at the eatery when Asif, Mohammad Bilal, and Abdul Salam had opened shot them dead. The attackers escaped and also took away the policemen’s official weapons.
One year later, the investigating officer received information that eight suspects had been killed in an encounter and from them some official sub-machine guns were recovered.
The IO visited the crime scene with a witness, who identified Bilal and Salam, who had been killed in the encounter.
Later, the Zaman Town police arrested Asif in another case and the IO officially shown him arrested in the targeted killing case of the policemen.
The defence counsel pleaded that his client was falsely implicated in the case due to his association with the MQM.
He said that the case was politically motivated.

11 April 2024 :

A Bajaur court on April 5, 2024 convicted a man of killing his uncle and awarded him death sentence and a fine of Rs1 million.
District and seasons judge Mohammad Amir pronounced the verdict on completion of the yearlong hearing of the case.
Hamidullah, a resident of Sikandro area of Utmankhel tehsil, had killed his uncle, Noor Raheem over a family dispute.
The judge announced the maximum punishment under section 302 of Pakistan Penal Code.
According to the judgment, the fine amount would be given to the deceased’s legal heirs.
Meanwhile, the family of the convict and his lawyer expressed disappointment over the verdict, and announced to challenge it in the Peshawar High Court’s Swat Bench.

25 March 2024 :

Two Pakistani women have been sentenced to death for murdering their madrassa teacher who they accused of committing blasphemy, police said on March 20, 2024.
Police said the "three female students allegedly slaughtered their local female cleric over blasphemy allegations" in northwestern Dera Ismail Khan city in March 2022.
A district judge "handed down the death penalty to two local madrasa students and a life sentence to one upon proving their involvement in the murder," local police official Muhammad Haris told AFP.
The pair sentenced to death are aged 23 and 24 whilst the one sentenced to life in jail is 16, he said.

12 March 2024 :

15 February 2024 :

Three murder convicts were awarded death sentence in three different murder cases in Wah and Attock on February 2, 2024, a police spokesman said.
In the first incident, a murder convict was sentenced to death and a fine amounting to Rs200,000 was imposed on him for abducting and killing his friend within the limits of Wah Cantonment police station on September 13, 2022.
As per the FIR registered with Wah Cantonment police station, the accused, Tipu Meer, allegedly abducted his 25-year-old friend, identified as Hina Akbar, killed her, chopped her body and dumped them at various locations in the district.
Police traced the suspect through mobile phone data and arrested him
During interrogation, Tipu Meer confessed that the girl was blackmailing him to marry her or face consequences, so he had no choice but to get rid of her in a way that nobody could find any clue about her death.
Later, the prosecution produced substantial evidence against Mr Meer, which verified his involvement in the murder of Ms Akbar.
Subsequently, Mr Meer was sentenced to death.
Separately, Additional Session Judge Qammaruz Zaman in Pindigheb town of Attock on February 2 awarded the death penalty to a convict for murdering a married woman over a domestic feud with the premises of the Pindigheb police station on November 4, 2022.
Besides, a fine amounting to Rs400,000 was also imposed on the convict.
As per the FIR registered at Pindigheb police station, the accused, Iftikhar Ahmed, had shot dead the wife of Mohammad Ashraf in the Akhlas area. The suspect was declared a proclaimed offender (PO) by the court after he went underground.
Later, the police raided his hideout and arrested the suspect, and during the trial, the prosecution proved Mr Ahmed’s involvement in the murder of the woman.
The suspect was then sent to the gallows.
Moreover, Additional Session Judge Attock Mohammad Zaffar Iqbal sentenced a convict to death for killing a woman in the Sarwala area of the city police area in 2017. The convict was also ordered to pay Rs500,000 as a fine.
As per the FIR registered, the accused, Khalid Nawaz, had shot dead his sister-in-law for honor and went underground. He was declared a PO by the court, but later, in 2023, police arrested the accused and recovered the weapon utilized in the murder case.
The prosecution produced substantial evidence against Mr Nawaz, which confirmed his involvement in the murder of the woman. Following this, the murder convict was awarded death sentence.

14 October 2024 :

A total of 6,161 Pakistani prisoners were on death row in 2024 (Statistics updated on 30th Sep, 2024), an increase from last year’s 6,039, according to a report by Justice Project Pakistan (JPP).
The JPP is a Lahore-based, non-profit legal action firm that represents the most vulnerable Pakistani prisoners facing the harshest punishments, at home and abroad.
The NGO recently released the third edition of its annual report called Death Penalty in Pakistan: Data Mapping Capital Punishment commemorating the 22nd World Day Against the Death Penalty.
The report showed that 6,161 prisoners were on death row in Pakistan which was an increase from 6,039 reported in 2023. The highest number was in Punjab at 2505 followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at 2311 prisoners on death row.
The number contrasted with earlier trends such as in 2022 when the death row population stood at 3,226.
The 2024 edition extensively covered Pakistan’s death penalty landscape by consolidating both quantitative and qualitative data.
The report not only presents a statistical overview of death row but also delves into the underlying issues within Pakistan’s criminal justice system that perpetuate the use of capital punishment”, the statement said.
Pakistan was ranked as “one of the highest users of the death penalty globally” which is a “sobering statistic” highlighting “the urgent need for reform”, according to the report.
It said that Pakistan has not carried out capital punishment since December 2019 but it “remains one of the most prolific users of capital punishment, with over 31 crimes punishable by death”.
The report was available for public access on the NGO’s digital platform.
“We invite policymakers, advocates, and the general public to engage with this data as part of a broader dialogue on justice reform,” the statement said.
“Through this report, JPP seeks to magnify the individual stories behind these statistics, highlighting the often overlooked human toll of state-sanctioned executions,” it added.

20 February 2024 :

Pakistan’s Senate on February 19, 2024 rejected a bill proposing public execution for rape convicts, with lawmakers deeming it ineffective in deterring sexual crimes.
The upper house of parliament dismissed the amendment to the Pakistan Penal Code and Code of Criminal Procedure through the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill 2023 with a vote of 24 against and 14 in favor.
Introduced by Jamaat-e-Islami’s (JI) Senator Mushtaq Ahmed, the bill found support from Senators Mehr Taj Roghani, Kamran Murtaza, Maulana Faiz Muhammad, Hafiz Abdul Kareem, Kamal Ali Agha, Abdul Qadir, and others.
However, those opposing the bill called for improved prosecution and investigation to combat sexual crimes, stressing the need for a better prison environment to prevent such offenses in the future.
Defending his proposal, Mushtaq argued that public executions would deter brutality, though critics argued otherwise.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl’s (JUI-F) Faiz Muhammad supported Mushtaq’s stance, advocating for the public hanging of perpetrators of heinous crimes.
However, Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Senator Sherry Rehman strongly opposed the bill, citing its ineffectiveness in deterring sexual crimes and emphasizing the importance of enhancing prosecutions and investigations.
During the Senate session, Rehman stated, “The Peoples Party has always held a principled stance against the death penalty, whether public or private.” She emphasized that while the PPP condemns rape as a heinous crime, the implementation of the death penalty or public executions, as observed in other countries, has not proven effective in preventing sexual crimes. Rehman stressed the need to prioritize enhanced prosecutions and investigations instead of resorting to barbaric methods.
Referring to historical attempts at public executions during Ziaul Haq’s era, Rehman highlighted their failure in reducing crime. She warned against advocating for public hanging for one crime, as it may lead to demands for similar measures for other offenses. The PPP, she reiterated, emphasizes addressing societal anger towards violence and sexual crimes through comprehensive measures, including increased funding for the police, improved criminal investigations, and better training for officers handling rape cases.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Senator Sadia Abbasi also opposed the bill, expressing concerns that it would exacerbate societal violence. Abbasi cited historical incidents of public floggings in the country and the subsequent negative reactions both domestically and internationally.
Similarly, PML-N’s Senator Ishaq Dar supported the opposition to the bill, noting the existence of the death penalty in law. He deemed the bill “inappropriate” and stressed that criminals should not be subjected to public executions.

15 January 2024 :

The Pakistan Supreme Court on January 10, 2024 upheld late former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf's death penalty awarded to him in 2019 in connection with a high treason case, Geo TV reported.
A four-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa and comprising Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Aminuddin Khan and Justice Athar Minallah said the Lahore High Court's January 13, 2020 order, which struck down Musharraf's death sentence, had been ineffective for non-compliance.
On December 17, 2019, a special court pronounced the death penalty on the late military general after a case of high treason was lodged against him by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's (PML-N) for his "unconstitutional" decision to impose a state of emergency in 2007, according to Geo TV.
During the hearing, the Supreme Court observed that Musharraf's family did not follow the case even after multiple notices were sent to them.
Salman Safdar, Musharraf's counsel, said he attempted to contact the former president's family after the court decided to hear the appeal but did not get any response from them.
On February 5 last year, Musharraf, 79, died due to a prolonged illness in Dubai, where he was in self-exile.
Born in Delhi on August 11, 1943, Musharraf and his family shifted to the newly-formed state of Pakistan after the Partition in 1947. After climbing up the ranks over the years, he was promoted to four-star general by then-prime minister Nawaz Sharif in 1998.
After the loss of the Kargil War to India in 1999, there was a power struggle between Musharraf and Sharif. Following that, Musharraf took control of Pakistan in a military coup and became the president in 2001.
Musharraf's rule faced challenges, including legal proceedings against him for alleged involvement in high-profile assassinations and for implementing an emergency and suspending the Constitution in 2007.
He resigned in 2008 to avoid impeachment and lived in self-imposed exile in London and Dubai.