PESHAWAR: A man convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of medical student Asma Rani has reportedly been ‘pardoned’ by her father.
Rani’s father Ghulam Dastageer said he had faced threats but he decided to pardon the killer only for the sake of Allah and after consulting with local notables and religious scholars.
Asama Rani was shot dead by Mujahid Afridi on January 27, 2018, in Kohat after she turned down his marriage proposal. The medical student had named Mujahid in a recorded video before her death.
Rani’s father said Mujahid Afridi’s family visited him at his home and implored for pardoning the killer. He said he decided to pardon the culprit for the sake of Allah’s blessings.
He has reportedly received threats in connection with the case but was adamant to see Asma’s killer at the gallows. However, he said after consulting with local notables and ulema. he made the decision for the sake of Allah’s blessings and was thankful to all the people who supported him in the case.
READ MORE: Asma Rani case: Man sentenced to death for killing medical student
According to media reports, Mujahid Afridi’s family and the Kohat Police confirmed that a settlement had been concluded. The police said Rani’s father pardoned the death sentence convict Mujahid Afridi at a jirga, and the formal declaration of the settlement would be announced next week. Rani’s father has rejected accusations of making the decision under duress or in exchange for money.
Asma Rani was a third-year MBBS student at the Ayub Medical College Abbottabad. After being shot, Rani recorded a video statement blaming Afridi for attack.
The video went viral and caused outrage. After the murder, Mujahid Afridi fled to Saudi Arabia, where he was arrested by Interpol at the request of Pakistan and was extradited in March 2018.
Security concerns caused officials to move the murder trial to Peshawar from Kohat after the initial proceedings. In June 2021, a Peshawar court sentence Mujahid Afridi to death, acquitting two other accused Shahzeb and Siddiqullah.
