| Case ID |
43148913-8ad0-41bf-b8a6-1268c8297cd7 |
| Body |
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| Case Number |
Crl. A. No. 91-L of 2017 |
| Decision Date |
May 17, 2019 |
| Hearing Date |
May 17, 2019 |
| Decision |
The Supreme Court allowed the criminal appeal filed by the appellant, Noor Ahmad, and set aside the impugned judgment of the Lahore High Court which had upheld the conviction of the appellant under Section 302(b) of the Pakistan Penal Code for murder. The court found significant doubts regarding the prosecution's case, particularly due to the delay in the autopsy and issues with the evidence. The appellant had been accused of murdering Shehnaz Begum, and the court noted that the evidence presented did not conclusively prove the guilt of the appellant beyond a reasonable doubt. Thus, the appellant was acquitted and ordered to be released unless required in another case. |
| Summary |
In the case of Crl. A. No. 91-L of 2017, the Supreme Court of Pakistan dealt with an appeal concerning a murder conviction under Section 302(b) of the Pakistan Penal Code. The case involved the tragic death of Shehnaz Begum, who was allegedly killed by Noor Ahmad following a refusal from her family to proceed with their marriage. The incident raised questions about the integrity of the prosecution's evidence, including a significant delay of seven hours before the autopsy was conducted, leading to concerns about the reliability of the findings. The court emphasized the importance of reasonable doubt in criminal proceedings, ultimately deciding to acquit the appellant due to insufficient evidence linking him to the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. The decision highlights critical aspects of legal standards in murder cases, particularly regarding evidentiary requirements and the presumption of innocence. The case serves as a significant reference point in discussions about the criminal justice system in Pakistan, especially in terms of the rights of the accused and the burden of proof that lies with the prosecution. |
| Court |
Supreme Court of Pakistan
|
| Entities Involved |
Noor Ahmad,
Shehnaz Begum,
Mumshad Farid
|
| Judges |
MANZOOR AHMAD MALIK,
SYED MANSOOR ALI SHAH,
QAZI MUHAMMAD AMIN AHMED
|
| Lawyers |
Mian Muhammad Tayyab,
Mr. Mazhar Sher Awan
|
| Petitioners |
Mian Muhammad Tayyab
|
| Respondents |
Mr. Mazhar Sher Awan
|
| Citations |
2019 SLD 2373,
2019 PLJ 432
|
| Other Citations |
Not available
|
| Laws Involved |
Pakistan Penal Code, 1860,
Criminal Procedure Code (V of 1898)
|
| Sections |
302(b),
449,
382B
|