No relief for convict who killed wife during court proceedings, rules SC

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has dismissed the appeal of death row convict Maaf Ali, upholding his double death sentence under terrorism charges, ARY News reported.

During the hearing, defense counsel Salman Safdar argued that applying terrorism provisions to a case of spousal murder was unjustified.

“How can terrorism clauses be invoked in a case where a man killed his wife?” he contended.

However, Punjab Prosecutor Mirza Abid Majeed maintained that the convict had murdered his wife inside the Gujrat Family Court. This act alone was performed to spread fear and panic in a packed courtroom.

“There are multiple Supreme Court of Pakistan precedents on the application of terrorism charges,” he said.

Justice Athar Minallah, heading the three-member bench, observed that a woman seeking justice was killed inside the court itself.

“Murdering a woman who came to court for justice constitutes terrorism. The convict deserves no leniency,” he remarked.

Maaf Ali had murdered his wife, Naeema Bibi, in 2014 after she filed a dissolution of marriage case against him.

He was awarded two death sentences under anti-terrorism provisions by a trial court, a ruling that the Lahore High Court later upheld.

The Supreme Court has now affirmed the Lahore High Court’s decision, leaving the death sentence in place.

Also Read: SC acquits death row convicts in Sindh Judge’s son murder case

Earlier, in a separate judgment, the Supreme Court of Pakistan had acquitted the accused in the murder case of Sindh High Court judge Justice Khalid Shahani’s son, citing flawed investigation and weak prosecution.

According to reports, a short order authored by Justice Athar Minallah set aside the verdicts of both the trial court and the Sindh High Court, which had earlier convicted the accused. The detailed judgment will be issued later.

The apex court acquitted Sikandar Lashari and Irfan alias Faheem, who had been handed the death penalty in the case.

In 2014, Hunain Tariq, the son of Justice Khalid Shahani, was killed in Sindh, leading to the trial and conviction that has now been overturned.