Victims' families pardon judge's son

Accused Abuzar released against Rs50,000 bail bond following reconciliation

ISLAMABAD:

Families of two female victims, who were killed in a hit-and-run accident in the federal capital a couple of days ago, forgave the son of Justice Muhammad Asif of the Islamabad High Court on Saturday.

Following a reconciliation statement, a local court ordered the release of the accused on bail against a surety of Rs50,000.

Judicial Magistrate Islamabad, Shaista Kundi conducted the hearing. Suspect Abuzar was presented in court under tight security after completing a four-day physical remand. During the proceedings, media representatives were not allowed entry into the courtroom.

Reconciliation was reached between the judge's son and the victim's family, and the family officially forgave Abuzar. In the Judicial Magistrate Shaista Kundi's court, the victim's family submitted a statement, after which the court approved the bail of the accused and ordered his release.

One of the deceased girl's brothers appeared in court to provide a statement, while her mother recorded her testimony via video link. The father of the second girl provided his statement before the judge in court. Following this, the court granted bail.

The incident occurred on Islamabad's prominent thoroughfare, PTV Chowk, where a speeding driver collided violently with two women riding a scooter. One of the girls died instantly, while the other succumbed to her injuries after being transferred to the hospital.

The police arrested the accused and registered a case at the Secretariat Police Station, subsequently presenting him before the court, where he was remanded into police custody.

According to the FIR, the accident occurred late on Monday night near the Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA), when a black SUV allegedly driven by the judge's son struck two girls. The victims were riding a scooter when they were hit by the SUV and reportedly died on the spot. Police reported that the vehicle fled the area immediately after the collision.

The FIR stated that police traced the vehicle through its registration number and later reached a private hospital where the suspect had reportedly been taken for medical treatment. He was subsequently taken into custody, and medical and forensic samples were collected, and the vehicle was impounded for examination. Sections 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way), 322 (manslaughter) and 427 (mischief causing damage) of the Pakistan Penal Code were invoked in the case.

In 2022, an SUV allegedly driven by the daughter of a Lahore High Court judge ran over two persons near the Soan bridge on the Expressway and the investigation into the case had remained stalled.