SHC dismisses death sentence for convict in 2011 minor rape & murder

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) bench hearing Thursday the review petition revoked the death sentence handed to the convict of a 2011 case of rape and murder of a six-year-old child due to lack of means at the convict’s disposal, ARY News reported.

The anti-terrorism court had sentenced two convicts Basheer and Abdul Majeed death and life sentences, respectively. It was back in 2011 that a minor girl was abducted from her house in Karachi’s Federal B Area and was killed after sexual abuse.

The appellate bench of the SHC repealed the special court decision that sentenced Basheer to be hanged till death while Majeed to serve a life sentence.

It was the lack of means at the disposal of the accused then and thus they could not avail legal assistance for their defence.

Both the convicts are neighbours and the police had arrested them on suspicion.

The defence lawyer told the court the police had no evidence and the suspects were made to confess the crime by means of torture and duress. Which the appellate court noted was not admissible.

Sindh police arrest 30 unvaccinated people

Separately in Sindh, the police arrested today 31 unvaccinated people days after fresh directives issued by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) for expediting COVID vaccination.

According to details, the Sukkur police raided different hotels, restaurants, hotels and arrested 31 people after they failed to show their vaccination certificates.