The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday dismissed appeals filed by three convicted members of the notorious Chhotu Gang, upholding six death sentences each awarded to them by lower courts.
According to the 24NewsHD TV channel, a three-member bench headed by Justice Hashim Kakar heard the case.
During the proceedings, Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim observed that cases based on personal enmity could not be compared with those involving the Chhotu Gang.
Justice Salahuddin Panhwar remarked that the gang had created such fear that police stations were shut down in the area, adding that the gang had acted like a king in its territory.
During Monday’s hearing, defence counsel argued that the first information report (FIR) included both the real names and aliases of the accused, questioning how police had prior knowledge of those aliases.
In response, the Additional Prosecutor General of Punjab said the accused had previous criminal records, which were already known to law enforcement.
The court was also told that 24 police personnel had been abducted during the incident. The prosecutor said the officers were taken hostage after they ran out of ammunition and that the Pakistan Army had to be called in to secure their release.
However, defence counsel claimed that the police officers returned on their own by boat and had not suffered any injuries. Justice Panhwar responded to this claim with a remark that it was your 'kindness'.
The case dates back to 2016, when an FIR was registered at a police station in Rajanpur over the killing of six police officers and injuries to seven others.
The FIR also included charges of abducting 24 officers for eight hours, along with offences related to explosives and terrorism.
A trial court had convicted 22 accused in the case, awarding death sentences to 20 of them, while two were given life imprisonment due to being minors.
The High Court later acquitted eight accused due to flaws in identification procedures and commuted the death sentences of others to life imprisonment.
The Supreme Court has now upheld six death sentences each for Ghulam Rasool alias Chhotu, Ishaq, and Khalid, while also maintaining life imprisonment for other convicted individuals.
Reporter: Amanat Gishkori