ATC awards death to killers of PTI leader, guards

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Saturday handed down death sentence on eight counts each to killers of PTI leader Masood Bhatti and his guards

The court awarded death sentence to seven accused and acquitted three other suspects in the murder case.

The convicts who have been awarded death sentence include Rasheed Riaz Abdul Majeed Sadiq Mashooq and Arshad.

PTI leader Masood Ahmad Bhatti along with his three guards and a friend was shot dead near Mustafabad toll plaza on Lahore -Kasur Road in 2014.

According to the police, Masood Bhatti, who was a candidate for the MPA slot from the PTI platform for PP 175, along with his friend Zia Ahmad and security guards was going to Lahore from Kasur in his car. When they reached near the toll plaza, some gunmen ambushed the car, leaving Masood and three of his guards dead on the spot.

Zia, who had suffered critical injuries, died on way to Lahore. Mustafabad police had registered an FIR against 16 accused under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.