Key Takeaways
- A sessions court sentenced Atif Zaman to death for the 2019 murder of TV anchor Mureed Abbas.
- Adil Zaman, his brother, remains at large with a perpetual arrest warrant issued against him.
- The incident occurred in Karachi’s Khayaban-i-Bukhari area on July 9, 2019.
A sessions court in Karachi has sentenced Atif Zaman to death for the murder of TV anchor Mureed Abbas and his business partner Khizer Hayat. The case, which was initially heard by an anti-terrorism court, was transferred to a sessions court due to the nature of the crime.
According to legal representatives, the incident occurred on July 9, 2019, in Karachi’s Khayaban-i-Bukhari area and was initially reported as a personal dispute. However, it quickly escalated into a high-profile murder case involving multiple suspects.
Atif Zaman, along with his brother Adil Zaman, has been charged for the murders of Abbas and Hayat. The brothers were arrested by police following the cancellation of Adil’s bail by the Supreme Court’s Karachi registry, leading to his declaration as an absconder.
The court sentenced Atif Zaman to death on two counts of murder, while Adil’s case remains dormant until he is apprehended or appears before the court. The legal team representing Abbas's wife, including Advocate Jibran Nasir and Daniyal Muhammad Hussain, played a crucial role in securing this verdict.
Mureed Abbas was an anchorperson for Bol News at the time of his murder. His death shocked the media community and led to widespread condemnation. Hayat, who was also involved in the business partnership with the prime suspect, succumbed to his injuries after being taken to a private hospital.
The case highlights the ongoing challenges faced by law enforcement and legal systems in dealing with high-profile crimes. The perpetual arrest warrant issued for Adil Zaman underscores the complexity of bringing all suspects to justice.
Legal experts have praised the court’s decision, stating that it sends a strong message against such heinous crimes. However, they also caution that the execution of the sentence remains contingent on Adil Zaman's apprehension.
