Three Convicted in Khalil-ur-Rehman Kidnapping Case, Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison

Lahore: An anti-terrorism court in Lahore has sentenced three individuals to seven years in prison each in the high-profile kidnapping-for-ransom case of renowned playwright Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar. The convicted individuals are Amna Urooj, Mamnoon Haider, and Zeeshan Qayyum.
The verdict was delivered by Judge Arshad Javed. All three convicts were present in court when the decision was announced. The court had reserved its judgment last week after the conclusion of the trial, which has now been made public.
A total of eleven people were originally accused in the case, including a man named Hassan Shah. However, eight of them were acquitted due to lack of sufficient evidence. Only three were found guilty and sentenced accordingly.
The kidnapping incident took place on July 15, 2023, when Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar was abducted for ransom. A case was registered by Sundar Police on July 21, under charges of kidnapping and terrorism.
The trial lasted for approximately eight months, during which testimonies from 17 prosecution witnesses were recorded. Following directives from the High Court, the trial court concluded the proceedings within a month and delivered its verdict accordingly.