PHC upholds three death sentences

The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has observed that perpetrators of heinous crimes such as rape do not deserve any leniency, particularly when the victim is a child, holding that granting concessions to such offenders could create unrest and encourage further moral degradation in society. The observations were made by Justice Sahibzada Asadullah while deciding an appeal filed by Akhtar Hussain, a resident of Mardan, against his conviction and three death sentences for raping and murdering a seven-year-old girl in 2020. A two-member bench comprising Justice Sahibzada Asadullah and Justice Inamullah heard the appeal. Justice Sahibzada Asadullah authored the detailed 34-page judgment, rejecting the convict's plea and upholding the three death sentences awarded by the trial court. The court observed that children regard adults as their protectors, but when those entrusted with their safety violate their dignity, they descend into brutality and no longer deserve to be treated with leniency. It stressed that society, as a whole, must act against such elements to protect future generations. The judgment noted that rape cases were increasing day by day and that children were increasingly becoming victims. Although accused persons often attempted to exploit technical or procedural weaknesses to escape punishment, the court said such minor shortcomings could not be used to absolve perpetrators of grave offences.