KARACHI: A district court in Karachi has sentenced the main accused, Atif Zaman, to death on two counts in the 2019 murder case of television anchor Mureed Abbas and his friend Khizar Hayat.
The verdict was delivered by the Additional District and Sessions Court (South), which announced its decision seven years after the case was filed. Proceedings were conducted at the Judicial Complex inside Karachi Central Jail.
The court found Atif Zaman guilty of murdering Abbas and Hayat and ordered him to pay compensation of Rs500,000 to the legal heirs of each victim.
In addition to the death sentences, the court sentenced Zaman to seven years in prison and imposed a fine of Rs50,000 for possessing illegal weapons.
The court also issued permanent arrest warrants for absconding co-accused Adil Zaman and directed authorities to continue legal proceedings against him.
Adil Zaman was declared a proclaimed offender after fleeing following the rejection of his bail plea by Pakistan’s Supreme Court.
Television anchor Mureed Abbas and Khizar Hayat were shot dead in Karachi on July 9, 2019.