Islamabad:
In an interesting development, the Supreme Court Friday acquitted two people – one of them a former district and sessions judge – for the charges of murdering the son of another lawyer, Khalid Hussain Shahani, who now serves as judge of Sindh High Court (SHC).
An anti-terrorism Court (ATC) had convicted the former district and sessions, Judge Sikandar Lashari and co-complained Irfan Khan to death in August 2018 for murdering 19-year-old Aqib Shahani in Hyderabad in February 2014 for allegedly having an affair with Lashari’s daughter.
By April 2020, SHC had maintained the death penalty. An appeal bench led by justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar noted that the blame for both defendants had been proven.
It had stated that the evidence that includes clear admission of guilt from the former district judge through a video statement secretly registered in the office of a police officer and revelation of material and uncontrolled facts through call data registration connected the former judge with murderers.
The criminal sentences later moved SC, who on Friday acquitted them. In the short order written by justice at Har Minallah, SC quoted defective investigation and weak prosecution as a reason for letting the accused hook. A detailed order in the case will be issued later.
