Sukkur: The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Sukkur on Friday sentenced six criminals to double life imprisonment in the case related to the murder of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) leader Khalid Mehmood Soomro.
The accused were also sentenced to 7 years imprisonment and fined more than 10 lakh rupees for the crime of possession of illegal weapons.
Judge Abdul Rahman Qazi delivered the verdict in a brief verdict at the Sukkur Central Jail, where tight security arrangements were made. The court had reserved its verdict on December 13 after extensive proceedings involving over 450 hearings and the testimony of 17 witnesses.
Hanif Bhutto, Sarang Totani, Mushtaq Mehr, Darya Khan Jamali, Altaf Jamali and Latif Jamali were accused of murdering Soomro on 29 November 2014.
He has been in custody since December 2014.
Family members of the victim, also a former senator, including Rashid Mehmood Soomro and local JUI(F) leaders, were present in the court during the verdict.
The slain JUI-F leader’s son Rashid said that the culprits should have been given death penalty. He expressed determination that now we will knock the door of the High Court.
Dr. Soomro, who was then the Secretary General of the Jamaat, was offering morning prayers when unknown gunmen entered the mosque and shot him dead.