Six Sentenced to Life in Khalid Mehmood Soomro Murder Case
An anti-terrorism court in Sukkur sentenced six individuals to life imprisonment for the murder of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader and former senator Dr. Khalid Mehmood Soomro. The verdict, delivered by Judge Abdul Rehman Qazi at Sukkur Central Jail, came nearly a decade after the prominent leader was assassinated on November 29, 2014, in Sukkur.
The six convicts—Hanif Bhutto, Sarang Totani, Mushtaq Mehr, Darya Khan Jamali, Latif Jamali, and Altaf Jamali—were also handed seven-year sentences for weapons charges and fined heavily for their crimes. Strict security measures were enforced during the court proceedings, which included testimonies from 17 witnesses across more than 450 hearings.
Family Plans to Appeal for Death Penalty
Dr. Khalid Mehmood Soomro was shot dead in the early hours of November 29, 2014, as he left a mosque attached to a seminary in Sukkur’s Gulshan-e-Iqbal area. The six individuals convicted of the crime have been in custody since December 2014, facing charges of murder and terrorism.
Following the verdict, Maulana Rashid Mahmood Soomro expressed dissatisfaction, arguing that the punishment was too lenient. He announced plans to challenge the decision in the high court, seeking death penalties for the convicts.
The judgment marks a significant step in a long-delayed case, reflecting the justice system’s efforts to address high-profile acts of terrorism and violence.
