An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Karachi on Friday awarded life imprisonment to four accused in the murder case of social activist Parveen Rehman.

The verdict was announced by a special court at Karachi Central Jail, where Raheem Swati, Ayaz Swati, Ahmed Khan alias Pappu Kashmiri, and Amjad Hussain were given double life sentences for killing the renowned rights activist.

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The court also issued non-bailable arrest warrants of two absconders, Sholadad and Musa.

Rehman held a postgraduate diploma in housing, building, and urban planning from the Institute of Housing Studies in Rotterdam, Netherlands, and had devoted her life to the development of impoverished neighbourhoods.

She was gunned down near her office in Orangi Town on March 13, 2013.

A case of her murder was registered at the Pirabad police station under sections 302 (premeditated murder) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code.