PAKISTAN: LHC COMMUTES DEATH SENTENCE TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT

a division bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) in Pakistan commuted the death sentence of Muhammad Sharif to life imprisonment. Earlier, Sharif, a resident of Ferozewala, was sentenced to death for murdering his former sister-in-law Farah Bibi. The bench, comprising Justice Tariq Shamim and Justice Zafar Iqbal Chaudhry, held that a single shot killed Farah. They said that the incident implied that Sharif probably did not have the intention to kill her, as he did not continue firing when there was no impediment to do so. Such circumstances would certainly provide some mitigation for awarding a lesser punishment to the convict, they added. According to the prosecution, Sharif held Farah responsible for the divorce. On October 9, 2001, Sharif shot Farah dead. An additional district and sessions judge in Ferozewala sentenced Sharif to death on July 31, 2002. He was also directed to pay Rs 50,000 as compensation to the legal heirs of the deceased.