An additional district and sessions court in Islamabad has sentenced 12 accused to life imprisonment in the murder case of Pakistan Peoples Party local leader Raja Nasir Hanif and three others.

The verdict was announced by Additional District and Sessions Judge Ismatullah, who also awarded the convicts 16 years of imprisonment under other applicable sections, along with fines and compensation to the victims’ families.

The court acquitted three accused, giving them the benefit of doubt due to lack of evidence.

Those sentenced include Raja Razi Rehman, Sohail, Sajid Rehman, Mohib Rehman, Nadeem Abbasi, Saad, Fahad, Mehdi Abbasi, Faheem Abbasi, Nadir, Faizan and Muhammad Hafeez. Among the convicts, Raja Razi Rehman, Sohail and Sajid are real brothers, while Nadeem Abbasi is the father of Saad, Fahad and Mehdi.

According to the prosecution, the convicts opened fire and killed four people — Raja Nasir Hanif, Haroon Qadeer, Adnan and Imran. The court was told that the murders stemmed from a long-standing family dispute over land and property between the deceased Raja Nasir Hanif and the accused.

The court observed that the prosecution had successfully proved the charges against the convicted individuals, leading to the life sentences, while the acquitted accused were cleared due to insufficient evidence.