The Lahore High Court (LHC) acquitted two men who had been sentenced to death in a double murder case, allowing their appeals against the conviction and ordering their immediate release if not required in any other case  A two-member bench comprising LHC Chief Justice Aalia Neelum and Justice Abher Gul Khan issued a 20-page written verdict on Wednesday, holding that the prosecution failed to establish the case against the accused beyond reasonable doubt. 

According to the judgment, the case was registered in 2019 in Pindi Bhattian against Kashif and Haroon for the murder of two persons.  A trial court had awarded both accused the death sentence in 2022.  The bench noted that there was an unexplained delay of two hours in lodging the FIR, which raised doubts about the prosecution’s version of events.

It further observed contradictions in the timings of the post-mortem examinations of the deceased.  The bench ruled that under such circumstances, the accused were entitled to the benefit of doubt, set aside the death sentence, and directed authorities to release both men immediately if they were not wanted in any other case.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)