Additional Sessions Judge Akram Ul Haq sentenced Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Ghulam Murtaza and Police Constable Azmat Ali to 10 years of hard labour for the brutal killing of Bashir Masih, a rickshaw and school bus driver from Sambrial, Sialkot. The court also imposed a fine of Rs. 4.3 million as Diyat (financial compensation under Islamic law) to be paid to the victim’s family.

Despite the sentencing, the victim’s widow, Rozina Bashir Masih, expressed dissatisfaction with the judgment. She had sought the death penalty for both officers involved and vowed to continue her fight for justice. “I will continue my struggle until justice is fully served,” she stated.

The case, registered under Case No. 1341/22 at the Sambrial Police Station, charged the two officers under sections 302 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code for murder and common intention.

Incident Overview:
The tragic incident occurred on September 17, 2022, in Zafarwali, Sambrial. At around 7:30 a.m., ASI Ghulam Murtaza and Constable Azmat Ali arrested Bashir Masih while he was driving a school bus and took him to the Model Police Station in Sambrial.

Masih, a father of five, worked tirelessly as both a rickshaw driver and a school bus driver to support his family. On the morning of his arrest, after dropping students off at school, he failed to return home for breakfast, raising concerns among his family. Later in the day, parents of the children Masih regularly transported began calling his wife, Rozeena, wondering why their children had not been picked up. This prompted Rozeena and her nephew, Sarfraz Masih, to visit the police station.

Upon arrival, they noticed Masih’s school van parked outside the station. A police constable informed them that there was an issue with the vehicle’s documentation but refused their request to see Masih. According to family members, police officers tortured Masih throughout the day, preventing his family from visiting him.

Masih reportedly succumbed to the violent torture later that evening. His body was taken to a local hospital for an autopsy, but police officers initially listed him as “without next-of-kin” and attempted to expedite a burial with state funds. A family acquaintance, who recognized Masih’s body, informed the family of his death.

Rozeena shared the horrific details on social media, stating, “There was not a single part of my husband’s body that wasn’t injured. The police broke all of his bones.”

Ongoing Struggles for Justice:
Since Masih’s death, Rozeena has continued her pursuit of justice despite ongoing intimidation from the police. She revealed that over the past five to six months, police officers have pressured her to withdraw the case in exchange for money and have issued threats against her and her family. “They say that they are the police, and no one can harm them. They want us to take the money and withdraw the case, but we will not back down,” she declared.

While the recent sentencing represents a step forward, the case remains a symbol of the ongoing struggle for justice in Pakistan, especially for marginalized communities facing police brutality and systemic corruption.