SC rejects petition against acquittal of murder suspect

Lawyers call off protest over judge hitting advocate with paperweight

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday dismissed a petition against acquittal of Muhammad Aslam, a suspect charged with double murder of a woman and her tailor in the tailor’s shop.

The three-member bench led by the Chief Justice Pakistan (CJP) Asif Saeed Khosa heard the case.

During the hearing, the CJP said that Waheed Ahmed claims to be witness to the murders of his brother Saeed Ahmed and a woman named Zainab in Saeed Ahmed’s tailoring shop. Even though Waheed witnessed his brother’s murder, he did not lodge a first information report (FIR) against the suspect nor did he participate in the funeral.

Justice Khosa said that the person who lodged the FIR was not a murder witness. At this, the petitioner’s counsel said that they belonged to tribal areas, and tribal people were considered to be very patient and this was the reason Waheed did not lodge a complaint.

The CJP said that the woman had gone to Saeed’s tailor shop, so there was a possibility that Waheed killed both of them there. Justice Khosa made it clear that he doubts that the witness was telling the truth.

Target killer sentenced

The special anti-terrorism court (ATC) awarded death sentence to a target killer of a police officer.

Judge Muhammad Asghar Khan pronounced the decision in which the suspect was punished two times death sentence, 34 year rigorous imprisonment and Rs1.7 million fine.

Cheating wife, nephew behind Rawalpindi police constable's murder

Lawyers call off strike

The lawyers have finally ended the lockdown of the judicial complex after the dispute which emerged due to a civil judge hitting a lawyer with a paperweight has finally been resolved amicably.

District and Sessions Judge Rana Masood Akhtar, Senior Civil Judge Khurram Saleem and others visited the District Bar and were welcomed by the lawyers yesterday.

On the occasion, the District Bar Secretary Shehzad Mir expressed happiness on the resolution of the issue and said that their struggle was for the supremacy of constitution and law.

Furthermore, Judge Rana Masood said that co-operation between the bench and bar was mandatory and thanked the officials of the bar for inviting him. He added that the judges would remain careful while performing their duties in future.

The Bar President Tanivr Sohail Shah, said that the bar was fulfilling its responsibilities very well while co-operation between the bar and bench was essential.

Judges visit Adiala

The Rawalpindi Additional and Sessions Judge Mazhar Fareed and his counterpart from Islamabad East, Atta Rabbani visited Adiala central jail on Monday.

The judges ordered release of 69 prisoners involved in petty crimes.

The judges also visited barracks and inspected the hospital, kitchen and vocational training center.

The visitors hailed security and cleanliness arrangements in the jail.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 16^th, 2019.