SHC makes Dania Shah party in Aamir Liaquat autopsy case

Deceased politician's family still against post-mortem as SHC asks counsel to provide legal backing for argument

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday approved the request of Dania Shah, the third wife of deceased televangelist and politician Aamir Liaquat, to be made a party in the case regarding his autopsy and ordered the relevant parties to prepare for it.

Dania, who filed for divorce shortly before Aamir Liaquat’s death, requested the high court to conduct his post-mortem in front of the SHC bench comprising Justice Mohammad Iqbal Kalhoro and Justice Kausar Sultana Hussain.

During the hearing, Dania Shah's mother came to the rostrum and said that Aamir Liaquat's wife had the right to know the cause of death.

“My daughter was Aamir Liaquat's wife. Aamir Liaquat Hussain was such a great personality, the cause of death should be known,” she stated before the court.

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Dania’s request came during a hearing regarding Liaquat’s post-mortem examination, wherein the lawyer of Aamir Liaquat's family Zia Awan stated that no injury was found during the medical examination and that his children did not want the post-mortem.

The court granted the request to make Dania Shah a party and ordered the parties to prepare for the case.

Liaquat’s family fights against autopsy

Justice Kalhoro questioned why the television host’s children were objecting to the autopsy, maintaining that without one, no one will know what happened to Aamir Liaquat.

Responding to Zia Awan’s comment that former premier Benazir Bhutto did not have an autopsy, the court remarked that everyone still regrets that a post-mortem was not conducted for her.

Justice Kalhoro further stated that several books were written regarding Benazir’s death due to the ambiguity caused by the lack of an autopsy.

“Under what law are you insisting on not conducting the post-mortem examination?” Justice Kausar questioned.

Moreover, Justice Kalhoro asked what law and what sect of religion prohibited an autopsy, maintaining that the lawyer must give legal reasoning for his argument and present the relevant legal or Islamic points before the court.

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Zia Awan took the position that it was said on social media that there are marks of torture on the body to which the public prosecutor stated that no case had been registered regarding the death of Aamir Liaquat.

Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro remarked that it appears as if the Sindh government also lacks preparation as no one was discussing legal points in the ongoing situation.

“We are not in a hurry, we will listen to everyone,” he said.

The public prosecutor submitted that two magistrates cannot pass the same order.

The court reiterated that it would listen to everyone and would not take any decision in haste. Subsequently, the hearing was adjourned till July 28.