PHC dismisses writ petition of accused in female medical student’s murder case

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday dismissed the writ petition of the accused persons in the murder case of Asma Rani, a medical student murdered seeking deletion of Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act from the murder charges.

A division bench comprising Justice Roohul Amin Khan and Justice Qalandar Ali Khan dismissed the petition after hearing arguments in the petition. It observed that charging the accused persons under the terrorism act was correct.

The petition was filed on January 28, this year by Mujahidullah and Kamran, who were charged under Section 302 and 324 of the PPC read with Section 7 of the ATA.

During the hearing, Syed Abdul Fayaz, counsel for the complainant, Muhammad Imran submitted that the accused persons killed Asma Rani, a medical student after she refused to marry Mujahidullah.

The lawyer submitted that Mujahidullah, accompanied by Sadiqullah, had allegedly opened fire on Asma Rani near her residence on January 27 as she had turned down his marriage proposal. He said that the Supreme Court had also taken notice of the murder case.

The lawyer submitted that to kill the student in daylight in front of people was an act of terrorism and the police had rightly charged them under the terrorism charges.

Following the murder, Mujahidullah had fled to the United Arab Emirates and was subsequently arrested there when the Interpol issued his red notices on the request of Pakistan government. He was shifted back to Pakistan in March. The lawyer and additional advocate general prayed the court to dismiss the petition.