Convict in Wali Khan Babar murder challenges his death sentence
JournalismPakistan.com | Published: 15 April 2015
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Faisal Mehmood has appealed his death sentence for the 2011 murder of journalist Wali Khan Babar. His counsel argues that the sentence was awarded in absentia and should be deemed illegal.Summary
KARACHI: Faisal Mehmood, alias Faisal Mota (pictured), has challenged his death sentence awarded in murder of Geo Television journalist Wali Khan Babar in the Sindh High Court.
Dawn reported Wednesday, the convict's counsel Advocate Aamir Masoob Qureshi said in an application that the death sentence was awarded in absentia, therefore the court must declare it illegal. He said that according to Articles 21-L and 31-A of the Anti Terrorism Act 1997, a death sentence cannot be awarded in absentia. Faisal Mota was sentenced to death by an anti-terrorism court in absentia on March 1 2014.
The court has been requested to dismiss Mota’s death penalty and send the case for a re-trial. The convict is said to be a worker of Muttahida Qaumi Movement and was arrested last month in Karachi after a raid by Rangers on Nine Zero, the MQM's political headquarters.
On January 13, 2011, Wali Khan Babar was heading home from work when he was shot dead in Karachi's Liaquatabad neighborhood.
Photo courtesy: Dawn
KEY POINTS:
- Faisal Mehmood challenges death sentence in Sindh High Court.
- The sentence was awarded in absentia on March 1, 2014.
- His counsel cites violations of the Anti Terrorism Act 1997.
- Mehmood is linked to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement.
- Wali Khan Babar was murdered on January 13, 2011.
