CJP takes suo motu notice of Mustafa Kanju's acquittal by ATC

Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali directs authorities to present sealed record of case in apex court

Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali took on Friday suo motu notice of Mustafa Kanju's acquittal by a Lahore anti-terrorism court in the Zain murder case.

“The Honourable Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Nawar Zaheer Jamali has taken notice of Zain murder case in which five accused, including Mustafa Kanju, were acquitted by an anti-terrorism court, Lahore,” a press release issued by the CJP’s office said.

According to reports, the CJP directed to seal all record pertaining to the case and ordered the authorities concerned to present the complete record of the case in the apex court for hearing.



The ATC had acquitted on Tuesday Kanju, son of former state minister Sadique Kanju, and his guards namely Ikramullah, Asif, Saifullah and Sadiq after eight prosecution witnesses, including Sohail Afzal, complainant of the FIR, denied recognising the accused.

On April 1, Kanju had allegedly opened fire on a vehicle near Lahore’s Cavalry Ground area, killing Zain and leaving a passerby injured after a fiery argument.

It is worth mentioning that in previous proceedings complainant Afzal, uncle of the deceased Zain, had appeared before the court and recorded his statement contending he did not recognise the accused clearly as he reached at the spot after one-and-half hour of the murder.

At the last hearing in the case, counsel for Kanju had told the court that a compromise was being negotiated between the two parties.

Afzal had earlier filed an FIR registered in South Cantt police station under Section 302,324,148,149 of PPC and 7 of the ATA.



Kanju has maintained that he did not intend to kill anyone, adding that his rivals were trying to trap him in a fake case. He claimed that Zain was killed in a cross fire, but not from his bullet.