ISLAMABAD: The Shariat Appellate Bench of the Supreme Court has rejected an appeal against the death sentence of a convict involved in the rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl in Karachi’s Landhi area, while upholding the verdicts of trial court and the high court.
A five-member Shariat Appellate Bench, headed by Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, heard the appeal.
During the proceedings, the counsel for the convict argued that neither was his client’s DNA test conducted nor were his fingerprints collected.
Justice Shahzad Ahmed Malik remarked that an 11-year-old girl was subjected to rape and subsequently murdered.
The prosecution counsel informed the court that the convict was a friend of the victim’s father. Upon this, Justice Malik remarked that the culprit probably thought no one would ever suspect him.
During the hearing, Justice Mandokhail shared that he once visited the Punjab Forensic Science Laboratory, where he learned about a murder case that triggered protests; however, the person shouting the loudest in the procession ultimately turned out to be the accused. He added that Allah is the dispenser of justice and the rightful person receives justice in the end.
Justice Malik stated that he too had witnessed an incident where the victim’s friends attended the funeral and subsequent prayers, only for it to be revealed later that they were the killers.
Justice Mandokhail observed that a murder can be committed with a single bullet, yet their duty as judges is not to be emotional, but to deliver verdicts in accordance with the law.
Justice Malik noted that a young girl was subjected to extreme brutality in this case, prompting Justice Mandokhail to remark, “If capital punishment is not awarded in this case, then in which case should it be?”
Upon concluding the arguments, the court dismissed the convict Gohar’s appeal against his death sentence and ordered that the capital punishment remain intact.
According to the prosecution, the first information report (FIR) of the incident was registered on February 28, 2005 in Landhi, Karachi. The trial court had handed down the death sentence to the convict, which was later upheld by the Sindh High Court.
Published in The News, July 22nd, 2026.
