Journalist killer sentenced to life imprisonment in Karak, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province
Karak ( RMNP) District and Sessions Court Karak in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan on March 16,2016 has awarded life imprisoment to killer Aminuaalh of journalist Ayub Khattak and also imposed fine PKR 5 million( US$ 50,000) on him while learned court acquitted his brother ,Khood Niaz .According to prosecution Jang Group’s journalist Ayub Khattak was shot dead by accused Aminullah near his residence situated in Takht Nusrat area on October 11,2013.The murder was linked to Khattak’s reporting in Karak Times about drug business in the area in which Aminullah was involved. Aminullah had threatened Khattak prior to the murder
Aminullah’s conviction is only the third in Pakistan, while the RMNP has recorded 122 journalists murder cases since 2000.Earlier US journalist Daniel Pearl and GEO TV Karachi reporter Wali Khan Babar killers have been convicted in Pakistan.
President RMNP Ehsan Ahmed Sehar has welcomed the Karak District Judge verdict and hoped that government will trace all other murder cases of Pakistani journalists and will bring the culprits in the court of law.He also demanded to pay compensation to the heirs of all slain journalists.He termed the fresh conviction a step forward reigning in the culture of impunity for crimes against journalists in Pakistan.
It is pertinent to mention that Karak is a district of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is situated to the south of Kohat District and on the north side of Bannu and Lakki Marwat districts on the main Indus Highway between Peshawar and Karachi – it is 123 km from the provincial capital Peshawar.
Source.RMNP