Double Life Sentence for Six in Sukkur Anti-Terrorism Court

An anti-terrorism court in Sukkur has convicted six individuals to two life sentences each for their roles in the 2014 murder of Jamiat Ulema-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader Dr. Khalid Mehmood Soomro. The convicts were sentenced under tight security at the Sukkur Central Jail and also received seven years imprisonment for weapons charges.

The court found Hanif Bhutto, Sarang Totani, Mushtaq Mehr, Darya Khan Jamali, Latif Jamali, and Altaf Jamali guilty of murder, terrorism, and illegal possession of weapons. The verdict comes after over 450 hearings and 17 witnesses testifying in the case. Dr. Khalid Mehmood Soomro, a senior leader of the JUI-F, was assassinated on November 29, 2014, while leaving a mosque in Sukkur. The case has been ongoing since December 2014, with the convicts having been in custody since then.

Dr. Soomro's son, Rashid Mehmood Soomro, expressed disappointment with the verdict, stating that the convicts should have been given the death penalty. Rashid Mehmood Soomro announced that the family will appeal the decision to the high court.

The sentencing marks a significant milestone in the pursuit of justice for the family and supporters of Dr. Soomro, and serves as a reminder of the determination of Pakistan's anti-terrorism courts in bringing perpetrators to justice.