Legal Case Summary

Case Details
Case ID 440a99fc-bc5b-4ff1-bd9f-3f901eef3187
Body View case body.
Case Number Criminal Appeal No. 11 of 1962
Decision Date Apr 16, 1962
Hearing Date Mar 16, 1962
Decision The Supreme Court examined the evidence presented, particularly regarding the testimonies of interested witnesses and the necessity of corroboration. It was held that while generally interested witnesses may need corroboration, there is no inflexible rule that their statements cannot be accepted without it. The court emphasized that corroboration can come from various circumstances surrounding the case. The court found that the number of accused was consistent with the nature of the crime, and the evidence supported the guilt of the accused despite the challenges regarding the credibility of the witnesses. The convictions of the appellants were upheld, with the exception of Riaz Ahmad, who was acquitted due to his age and lack of involvement in the violent acts.
Summary In this pivotal case, the Supreme Court of Pakistan addressed the complexities surrounding the testimonies of interested witnesses in criminal proceedings. The court underscored that while corroboration is often necessary, it is not an absolute requirement, especially when the circumstances of the case provide sufficient backing for the witness's account. The incident in question involved a brutal attack leading to multiple fatalities, and the court meticulously analyzed the roles of various parties involved. The judgments delivered in this case established important precedents regarding the evaluation of evidence, the treatment of eyewitness testimonies, and the standards required for corroboration in legal proceedings, significantly impacting future interpretations of witness credibility in criminal law. Keywords such as 'criminal appeal', 'Supreme Court', 'Pakistan', 'eyewitness testimony', and 'corroboration' are essential in understanding the legal implications and the judicial reasoning applied in this case.
Court Supreme Court of Pakistan
Entities Involved Not available
Judges S. A. Rahman, Fazle-Akbar, B. Z. Kaikaus, Hamoodur Rahman
Lawyers R. A. Jeremy Advocate Supreme Court Instructed by Maqbul Ahmad Attorney for Appellants, M. Anwar Advocate-General West Pakistan, Said Akbar Advocate Supreme Court with him instructed by Ijaz Ali Attorney for Respondent
Petitioners Nazir and others
Respondents The State
Citations 1962 SLD 6, 1962 PLD 269
Other Citations Niaz v. The State P L D 1960 S C (Pak.) 387
Laws Involved Income Tax Act, 1922
Sections Not available