IHC orders medical exam of convicted mother

The woman attempted suicide after taking the lives of her three children

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has ordered a mental medical examination of the female convicted criminal who attempted suicide after killing her three children.

In its directives, the court said the Islamabad Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Superintendent of Adiala jail shall be bound to assist the medical board in the matter.

Issuing a written order, IHC Judge Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir sought the medical report of the convict on the next date of hearing.

The court order said Zeba Gul was charged with attempted suicide and murdering her two daughters and one son. It was written in the charge sheet that Zeba was mentally ill. The trial court sentenced her to three terms of life imprisonment under Section 302-B of the Pakistan Penal Code without any inquiry under Section 465 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The trial court also sentenced Zeba to 14 years in prison under Section 311 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

According to the order, following the decision of the Supreme Court in the Sofia Bano case, the Islamabad chief commissioner should get the suspect examined by a medical board and its report should be submitted to the court to determine whether the accused was mentally competent to present her defines before the trial court.

“If a medical board is not formed according to the decision of the Supreme Court in the Sofia Bano case, then PIMS’ executive director should form a medical board and its report should be submitted to the court at the next hearing,” it said.

“The Islamabad IGP and Adiala jail superintendent will be bound to assist in the matter of the medical board. The chief commissioner will be responsible for getting the accused medically examined by the medical board,” the order read.

The next hearing of the case will be held on June 5. The court directed that a copy of the decision should be sent to the Islamabad chief commissioner, IGP, Adiala jail superintendent and PIMS’ ED.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 27^th, 2024.