A Karachi court on Thursday sentenced Atif Zaman to death twice after convicting him of the 2019 murders of television anchor Mureed Abbas and businessman Khizr Hayat, bringing the high-profile case to a close after nearly seven years.
The Additional District and Sessions Court found Zaman guilty of murdering both men following a prolonged trial and awarded him two death sentences.
The court also issued permanent arrest warrants for co-accused Adil Zaman, who remains absconding.
According to the prosecution, Abbas and Hayat were shot dead on July 9, 2019, following a business dispute. A case was subsequently registered against the two brothers at Karachi’s Darakhshan Police Station.
Prosecutors told the court that Adil Zaman fled after the Supreme Court rejected his bail application. He was later declared a proclaimed offender by the trial court and remains at large.