Bashir Hussain Azad
CHITRAL: A court in Lower Chitral has sentenced a man to two life terms for the murder of two people and handed him an additional four-year prison term for robbery in a case dating back 22 years.
District and Sessions Judge Lower Chitral Shahnaz Hamid Khattak announced the verdict against Shahzaib, son of Mansoor Khan, a resident of Sakwar in Gilgit district.
According to court documents, a case was registered against Shahzaib at Mastuj Police Station on October 16, 2002, under Sections 302 and 396 of the Pakistan Penal Code in connection with murder and robbery.
The prosecution said the accused and his accomplices killed driver Azmat Khuda, son of Khush Khuda, a resident of Chewo Dok Lower Chitral, and Sikandar Shah, son of Faqir Muhammad, at Shori near Mas Junali in Shandur on October 16, 2002.
The accused allegedly fled from the scene after taking the vehicle.
Shahzaib remained absconding for 22 years before police arrested him on April 22, 2024, and produced him before the court for legal proceedings.
After completing the trial, the court examined the available record, witness statements, evidence and other legal requirements before finding the accused guilty.
Under Section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code, the court awarded Shahzaib two life imprisonment sentences for the murders of the two victims.
The court also ordered him to pay Rs1 million each to the heirs of the two deceased as compensation, amounting to a total of Rs2 million.
In addition, the court sentenced him to four years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs20,000 under Section 396 of the Pakistan Penal Code for the robbery offence.