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Pakistani court awards death penalty to sectarian killer
An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan Friday handed down death penalty to an activist of a banned group for multiple sectarian murders. The court in Karachi ordered Mohammad Faisal Pehlwan of the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi be hanged after he was found guilty of murdering Saleem Qadri, leader of the Sunni Tehreek group, and four others in May 2001. In addition to the death penalty, the convicted was fined 175,000 rupees (3017 dollars). The court officials say the money would be given to the relatives of those murdered. Police said Pehlwan was a member of the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, a group outlawed by President Pervez Musharraf in January last year for its involvement in sectarian violence. Qadri, his two relatives, driver and guard were killed in southern port city of Karachi in an ambush while they were going to a mosque for Friday prayers. Three people were injured in the attack. Defense lawyer Ashraf Mughal denounced the verdict and said Pehlwan was innocent and had nothing to do with the murders. He said he will challenge the verdict before a superior court. Posted by: Fred Pruitt 2003-04-11 |
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