By STAFF Writer
August 12, 2011
A paramilitary Rangers force member of Pakistan has been sentenced to death for killing unarmed civilian Sarfaraz Shah in June. Five other Rangers have been given life imprisonment along with a civilian by the anti-terrorism court today. A fine of 200,000 rupees and 100,000 rupees have been imposed on each rangers and the civilian respectively.
Sarfaraz Shah was killed in Karachi, which was caught on a video and televised through different media. This deepen anger of people against Pakistan security forces that were earlier considered as a failure in detecting the US commando raid in the killing of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden in May this year.
The video footage of the killing showed Sarfaraz Shah being shot by the Rangers in a public park at a close range in Karachi.
The civilian who has been imposed life imprisonment is seen in the footage grabbing hair of Sarfaraz Shah and dragging him over to the Rangers. One soldier shoots Shah twice even after he is seen pleading for mercy. The footage ends showing Shah falling to the ground in a pool of blood and the Rangers stood around.
Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik, despite any evidence in the video footage, claimed Shah had been carrying unlicensed weapon. Rehman's ministry is responsible for the Rangers.
Sarfaraz Shah's brother Salik Shah said, "We are satisfied with the punishment, and we hope that the higher courts will also keep them and overturn the appeals of the accused."
Earlier, after the shooting footage was broadcast, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan condemned it saying that extrajudicial killings are increasingly becoming common in the country. As a followup to this, the head of the paramilitary Rangers force and the Sindh police chief were fired by authorities in compliance with a Supreme Court order.
August 12, 2011 | 0
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