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.
Pakistani court sentences two female seminary students to death, one to life for teacher’s blasphemy killing
https://arab.news/2p3c5
Pakistani court sentences two female seminary students to death, one to life for teacher’s blasphemy killing
- The students targeted the teacher at the seminary’s gate, beating her with sticks before slitting her throat
- The students said in their confession a relative had seen the teacher committing blasphemy in his dream
At least 16 dead after Karachi building collapses in suspected gas blast
- Four children and seven women among the dead, 13 people injured
- Incident follows recent Gul Plaza fire, highlighting urban safety concerns
KARACHI: At least 16 people were killed and 13 injured on Thursday when a residential building collapsed after a suspected gas explosion in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi, rescue authorities said.
Deadly accidents linked to gas leaks and unsafe infrastructure are frequent in Karachi’s crowded low-income neighborhoods, where households commonly rely on gas cylinders and informal connections with limited safety enforcement. The collapse comes weeks after a major fire at the city’s Gul Plaza shopping mall killed over 70 people and underscored concerns about building safety and regulatory oversight.
The latest incident occurred in the densely populated Soldier Bazaar area, according to a Rescue 1122 Sindh spokesperson. The dead included four children, seven women and five men, while the injured comprised five children, three women and five men.
“During a timely and professional operation, Rescue 1122 pulled 13 injured people from under the rubble and recovered 16 bodies,” Rescue 1122 Sindh spokesperson Hassan Khan said in a statement.
“Those injured in the incident were pulled from the debris and provided immediate medical assistance.”
He said urban search-and-rescue teams, firefighters and disaster response vehicles were dispatched to the site, with victims transported to nearby hospitals.
“All injured were provided first aid by Rescue 1122 ambulances at the scene before being shifted to nearby hospitals, while the rescue operation by Rescue 1122 (Sindh) was still under way,” the spokesperson added.
Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon directed authorities to ensure proper medical treatment for the injured.
“He also urged citizens to exercise caution in the use of gas and to immediately inform the relevant authorities in case of any suspected leakage,” the provincial government said in a statement.
Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city, has repeatedly witnessed building collapses and fires linked to weak enforcement of construction rules, aging infrastructure and unsafe energy practices.
