ISLAMABAD: A sessions court in Islamabad has sentenced a man to death for repeatedly sexually assaulting his stepdaughter over the course of a year while her mother was away.
The convict, identified as Iftikhar, was also ordered to pay Rs3.5 million in fines and compensation for the victim and the child born as a result of the assault.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Sohail announced the verdict after reviewing the evidence presented during the trial.
According to the written judgment, the court imposed a fine of Rs500,000 on the convict, ordered him to pay Rs1 million in compensation to the victim, and directed him to provide Rs2 million for the child’s care and maintenance.
The court based its decision partly on forensic evidence submitted by the Punjab Forensic Science Agency. DNA analysis established a link between Iftikhar and the crime, with testing confirming that the child born following the assault matched the convict’s DNA profile.
The case was registered at Shahzad Town Police Station in February 2025 following a complaint lodged by the victim’s mother.
After assessing the evidence, the court found Iftikhar guilty and handed down the death sentence, along with the financial penalties and compensation orders.
Suspect in niece’s rape and murder killed in Rawalpindi encounter
In a separate incident, a man accused of sexually assaulting and murdering his 15-year-old niece was killed in an alleged police encounter in Rawalpindi, according to police.
The suspect, identified as Mumrez Abbasi, a resident of Abbottabad, died during an exchange of gunfire near Alamabad Stop, close to Children’s Park, within the jurisdiction of Ratta Amral Police Station.
Police said two alleged accomplices escaped during the incident, prompting a search operation to track them down.
A .30-bore pistol and ammunition were reportedly recovered from the deceased suspect.
According to police, Abbasi was accused of sexually assaulting his niece before strangling her to death several days earlier. The investigation to arrest his alleged accomplices is ongoing.
