LHC releases detailed judgement in Khadija Siddiqui case

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday released detailed judgment in Khadija Siddiqui case.

In its 12-page detailed verdict, Justice Sardar Ahmed Naeem acquitted the convict-appellant (Shah Hussain) after giving him benefit of doubt.

The court held that the prosecution failed to prove the guilt of appellant beyond reasonable shadow of doubt.

The court observed that the injured witness was not disbelieved normally but the circumstances of the case forced it to disbelieve the witnesses as no independent witness was cited by the prosecution despite the fact that the event took place during daylight at thoroughfare.

The court observed that the star witness Khadija Siddiqui had not described the true and complete tale. "The occurrence might have taken place but not in the manner as described by the injured eye witnesses. She was in her senses at the time of occurrence but the registration of FIR in her presence against unknown accused is a question mark", it added.

The court also dismissed complainant's appeal for enhancement of the sentence.

It is pertinent to mention that Khadija Siddiqui, student at a private law college, was allegedly attacked by her class fellow Shah Hussain on May 3, 2016 near Shimla Hill where she along with driver had gone to pick her younger sister from school.

Both sisters were about to get into their car when helmet wearing suspect attacked Khadija with knife and stabbed her 23 times leaving her critically injured.

On July 29, 2017, Judicial Magistrate Mubashir Awan handed down seven years imprisonment term to Shah Hussain for stabbing his class mate Khadija Siddiqui.

However, a district and sessions judge reduced Shah Hussain's seven year imprisonment term to five years on an appeal by him.

Shah Hussain had challenged the verdict before LHC who acquitted the convict after giving benefit of doubt.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar had taken suo motu notice of acquittal of the convict and summoned the case's record at the apex court's Lahore registry on Sunday (June 10).