Pakistani court sentences two female seminary students to death, one to life for teacher’s blasphemy killing

PESHAWAR: A local court in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has sentenced two female seminary students to death and another to life imprisonment for killing their teacher on blasphemy charges in March 2022, confirmed the lawyers involved the case on Tuesday.
The three women, Razia Hanfi, Ayesha Naumani, and Umra Aman from Jamia Islamia Falahul Binaat seminary in Dera Ismail Khan were arrested two years ago for murdering their teacher Safoora Bibi, alleging she had committed blasphemy.
The assault took at the seminary’s gate where the convicted students beat their teacher with sticks before slitting her throat. Subsequently, the police said the accused students had confessed to the crime, claiming that a teenage relative had dreamt of the victim committing blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Speaking to Arab News, public prosecutor Tanseer Ali said the court sentenced Razia Hanfi and Umra Aman to death, imposing a fine of Rs2 million each. The third accused, Ayesha Naumani, were given life imprisonment and a Rs1 million fine since she was under 18 when the crime took place.
“The court has decided the case on the basis of concrete evidence,” he said. “Thorough investigations into the matter by the police, confession of crime by the convicts in front of a magistrate and forensic evidence helped the court decide the matter.”
However, defense attorney Asad Aziz said the case became high-profile and sensitive, affecting the court’s verdict.
“We are going to challenge the decision in higher court,” he added. “I’m sure this judgment will not withstand further legal scrutiny and will be suspended.”
The administration of the seminary could not be reached for comment after the announcement of the verdict.
However, Shah Noor, a relative of the convicted girls, vowed to lodge in appeal in the high court during this week.