Death sentence to two convicts in honour killing case set aside.

HYDERABAD -- A division bench of the Sindh High Court, Hyderabad circuit, on Thursday set aside capital punishment awarAdAed to two persons by a trial court in a double murder case.

The order was passed by the bench comprising JusAtice MohamAmad Iqbal KalAhoro and Justice Adnan-ul-Karim Memon on a criminal appeal filed by the convicts, Ali Nawaz Chandio and Ali Hassan Chandio, through AdvoAcate Ahsan Gul Dahiri.

The court ordered immediate release of Ali Nawaz Chandio if he was not required in any other case. The case of Ali Hassan Chandio was remanded back to the trial court, which was given one month's time to decide it.

In its short order, the bench noted that the 'statement of accused Hassan alias Ali Hassan under section 342 CrPC afresh would be recorded by putting all incriminating pieces of evidence which were deposed against him by prosecution witnesses for seeking his explanation thereto and then after affording an opportunity of hearing to both parties decide the case'.

The bench would record detaAilAed reasons later on but passed a short order to dispose of the joint appeal.

The two Chandios were sentenced to death on Feb 21, 2012 in a case pertaining to the murder of Punhal Chandio and Zahra, dauAghter of Ameer Bux, who were allegedly killed in the name of honour. The victims were gunned down in Rawat Chandio village, falling within the limits of the Qazi Ahmed police station, on June 26, 2007.

Punhal's mother, Ms Haleema, had lodged the case. Her witnesses were her son-in-law, Ghulam SarAwar, and brother, Abdul Hameed. She was represented by Advocate Razia Gul.

The defence counsel contended that the prosecution's case was hit by serious discrepancies and...