Govt set to appeal Zain case verdict, SC told

SC orders foolproof security for heirs of the deceased summoned for Nov 16 hearing

ISLAMABAD:

The police have registered cases against the witnesses who retracted their statements in Zain Rauf’s murder case, Inspector General of Police Mushtaq Sukera told the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday.

In a report submitted in the court, the IGP submitted that FIRs had been registered against the complainant, Muhammad Sohail Afzal, an uncle of the deceased, and his son Zahoor Ahmed, who had accompanied Rauf when the incident took place. Ahmed had been injured in the shooting.



Additional Advocate General Razzaq A Mirza told the court that the provincial government would soon file a petition in the Lahore High Court (LHC) against the trial court’s decision to acquit the suspects, including Mustafa Kanju, son of former state minister Siddique Kanju.

Responding to a question, the prosecutor general stated the trial court had failed to properly analyse the investigation officer’s report.

Earlier, Justice Ameer Hani Muslim observed that the witnesses had twice requested the trial court to direct the police to provide security to them. He said in applications submitted on August 11 and August 20 the witnesses had said unidentified people were threatening them with dire consequences if they pursued the case. The judge noted that the trial court had dismissed both applications.

The bench summoned heirs of the deceased and the prosecution witnesses on November 16 and adjourned the session. The IGP was directed to ensure foolproof security for them during their visit to the court.



The trial court had on October 28 acquitted Kanju and four other suspects over lack of substantial evidence to prosecute them. The decision came following withdrawal of statements against the suspects by eight prosecution witnesses, including the complainant.

Kanju and four others had been held for killing Rauf, a passerby, in firing over a brawl with another car driver following a collision between the two cars near Cavalry Ground on April 1.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 11^th, 2015.