Justice Served: Death Sentences for Police in Staged Encounter

A Pakistani court has sentenced four police officers to death for the fatal shooting of two teenage students in a fabricated police encounter in Faisalabad, 2018. The court also fined the officers, to be compensated to the victims' families. A fifth suspect was acquitted due to insufficient evidence.

A court in Pakistan has handed down death sentences to four police officers involved in the staged killing of two teenagers, marking a significant verdict in a six-year-old case.

The incident occurred in 2018 in Faisalabad, Punjab, where officers Asghar Ali, Falak Sher, Faisal, and Waqas killed 19-year-olds Arsalan and Usman. The tragedy unfolded when the students failed to stop at a police checkpoint, prompting officers to open fire.

The court's ruling also includes a PKR 1 million fine to be given to the victims' families. A fifth officer was acquitted, due to insufficient evidence. This case highlights ongoing concerns about police encounters in Pakistan, particularly staged encounters in Punjab.

(With inputs from agencies.)