Weak Prosecution Leads to Acquittal in High-Profile Murder Case
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has acquitted two men previously sentenced to death for the 2014 murder of Hunain Tariq, the son of Sindh High Court judge Justice Khalid Shahani. The apex court overturned the convictions of Sikandar Lashari and Irfan alias Faheem, citing a botched investigation and insufficient evidence presented by the prosecution. The short order, authored by Justice Athar Minallah, nullified the earlier decisions of both the trial court and the Sindh High Court. A detailed judgment is expected to be issued later.
Another Acquittal Highlights Gaps in Judicial Process
In a separate ruling, the Supreme Court also acquitted a man imprisoned for 12 years on charges of sexually assaulting his daughter. The court found critical issues with the reliability of the victim’s statement, pointing out that no assessment of her mental maturity had been conducted during testimony. The 10-page verdict, written by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi and heard by a bench led by Justice Hashim Kakar, highlighted inconsistencies in both the victim’s account and the medical evidence. The court noted contradictions in the doctor’s testimony and ruled that the accused should be released immediately, provided he is not wanted in any other case.
These back-to-back rulings underscore serious lapses in investigative and prosecutorial standards that have led to wrongful convictions and years of incarceration for the accused. The Supreme Court’s judgments serve as a call for urgent reforms within Pakistan’s criminal justice system.
