An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore sentenced Amna Urooj and two other individuals to seven years in prison each on Monday for orchestrating a honey-trap and kidnapping-for-ransom scheme targeting renowned screenwriter Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar.
ATC Judge Arshad Javed delivered the verdict, bringing an end to the high-profile trial that began after Qamar’s abduction in July 2023. The court convicted Amna Urooj, Zeeshan Qayyum, and Mamnoon Haider while acquitting eight others due to lack of evidence. A separate petition against Qamar was also dismissed, adding a legal subplot to the case.
The court found Urooj, Qayyum, and Haider guilty of luring Qamar to Urooj’s apartment under the guise of a professional meeting. Once there, they secretly filmed him, held him captive, and demanded a ransom for his release. Qamar regained his freedom after several days and filed a police report on July 21, 2023, leading to the arrest of the accused.
The prosecution described the operation as a well-planned, financially motivated crime. While Qamar’s legal team demanded the death penalty, the court opted for seven-year prison terms, citing the severity of the charges.
The court acquitted eight co-accused individuals due to insufficient evidence connecting them to the crime. This outcome underscores the evidentiary limitations that clouded parts of the investigation and left several questions unanswered.
Dismissed Petition Against Qamar
In a parallel legal development, Lahore’s Additional Sessions Judge Ilyas Rehan dismissed a petition filed against Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar. Zainab Bibi, mother of convict Amna Urooj, submitted the petition but later withdrew it to amend her complaint. Qamar’s lawyer, Mudasir Chaudhry, confirmed the withdrawal, clarifying that the dismissal does not impact the sentencing but adds complexity to the legal narrative.
The defence team presented an alternative version of events. According to Urooj’s lawyer, Qamar’s manager initially approached her with a professional offer that evolved into a personal interaction. The lawyer alleged that Qamar, under the influence of alcohol during their second meeting, pressured Urooj into intimacy and threatened to leak compromising photos if she refused.
