Court Verdict Ends Legal Battle in Majid Sati Murder Case

News Desk

Islamabad: A three-year-long legal proceeding over the killing of PTI worker and transport union leader Majid Sati reached a conclusion on Tuesday as an Islamabad court sentenced three accused, including Farrukh Khokhar, to life imprisonment.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Afshan Ijaz Sufi handed down the verdict, convicting Farrukh Khokhar, Ameer Hamza and Haider Ali Nawaz alias Ali Jogi under Sections 302, 148 and 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code. A fourth accused was acquitted after the court found insufficient evidence against him.

Besides the prison terms, the court ordered each convict to pay Rs1 million in compensation to the deceased’s legal heirs under Section 544-A of the Criminal Procedure Code.

The judgment stated that failure to pay the compensation would result in recovery of the amount as arrears of land revenue. The convicts were also granted relief under Section 382-B of the CrPC for the time already spent in custody.

Khokhar, who was previously released on bail, was arrested from the courtroom immediately after the verdict and sent to Adiala Jail under heavy security. The other two convicts, already in custody, were brought before the court from the prison.

The announcement of the verdict came amid heightened security at the Islamabad Judicial Complex, where a large police contingent was deployed. Supporters of the accused and relatives of the deceased were present at the court premises, while strict checks were carried out and restrictions were imposed on the movement of vehicles and weapons.

Majid Sati was killed on August 23, 2022, in the jurisdiction of Sadiqabad Police Station. The murder case, registered through FIR No. 2349, was investigated on the grounds that the killing was linked to a land dispute and alleged personal rivalry.

The prosecution had accused Farrukh Khokhar of planning the murder and named him as the key suspect in the case. Khokhar, who was earlier associated with the Pakistan Peoples Party, later joined Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI).