LAHORE – Amna Urooj among two other convicts, was handed down seven years jail time in high-profile kidnapping case of Khalilur Rehman Qamar.
Judge Arshad Javed of the Anti-Terrorism Court announced verdict, sentencing three persons to seven years in prison for orchestrating the kidnapping of renowned Pakistani playwright Khalilur Rehman Qamar. The convicts are Amna Urooj, Mamnoon Haider, and Zeeshan. The court, however, acquitted several other suspects who had been charged in case.
The incident dates back to July last year when Qamar was lured to a residence in Lahore by a woman who claimed to be a fan and wanted to discuss a script collaboration. Upon arriving at the location around 4:40 a.m., Qamar was welcomed by Amna Urooj. Moments later, a group of armed men barged into the room, conducted a body search, and confiscated Rs60,000 in cash, an iPhone 11, a Bank Al-Habib ATM card, and his national identity card.
The kidnappers later withdrew over 2lac from one of his bank accounts and allegedly threatened to kill him if he did not pay a ransom of Rs10 million. The playwright went public with the ordeal during a press conference held days later, prompting an official investigation. The FIR was registered on July 21 at Sundar Police Station under charges related to kidnapping and terrorism.
The court proceedings began in August 2024, with 11 individuals facing trial. Over the course of the hearings, 17 witnesses, including Qamar, his friend, police officers, and bank employees, testified before the court.
