TV anchor Mureed Abbas murder: convict sentenced to death

A Karachi sessions court has sentenced Atif Zaman to death for the murder of TV anchorperson Mureed Abbas and his friend Khizer Hayat in a 2019 case.

A Karachi sessions court has sentenced Atif Zaman to death for the murder of TV anchorperson Mureed Abbas and his friend Khizer Hayat in a 2019 case.

The court announced the verdict after hearing the case related to the killing of the two men over a financial dispute.

Atif Zaman was awarded the death penalty on two counts of murder. The court found him guilty of killing Mureed Abbas and Khizer Hayat, who were reportedly his business associates.

The incident occurred on July 9, 2019, in Karachi’s Khayaban-e-Bukhari area. According to police officials, a dispute over money led to the shooting.

Mureed Abbas, a television anchor, was shot dead at the scene. His friend Khizer Hayat also suffered serious injuries and was taken to a private hospital, where he later died.

Another accused in the case, Adil Zaman, remains an absconder. His case proceedings have been put on hold until he is arrested or appears before the court.

The case was initially taken up by an anti-terrorism court. However, it was later transferred to a sessions court after it was determined that the charges did not fall under the anti-terrorism law.

The verdict marks a significant development in the case, while legal proceedings against the remaining accused are still pending.