Supreme Court Acquits Murder Convict After 15 Years in Sahiwal Case

Islamabad: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has acquitted a man convicted in a murder case after 15 years, ordering his immediate release.

A three-member bench comprising Justice Hashim Khan Kakar, Justice Salahuddin Panhwar, and Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim announced the verdict. The court acquitted Naeem Arshad alias Pappu, who had been nominated in a murder case over a dispute involving Rs 2,500 worth of unpaid cloth.

The Supreme Court also set aside the Lahore High Court’s decision dated November 29, 2017.

In its detailed judgment, the court observed that the complainant’s presence at the crime scene was doubtful, noting that the incident allegedly occurred in complete darkness and no source of light was mentioned in the record. The court further stated that the incident did not occur in the manner described and remained mysterious.

According to the investigating officer, the fatal shot was not fired by Naeem Arshad but by Shahbaz Ali. The court noted that the pistol recovered from Shahbaz Ali matched the shell found at the scene. Shahbaz Ali had already been acquitted by the trial court, and neither the state nor the complainant challenged his acquittal.

The court also remarked that the prosecution’s failure to present witnesses before the court created a negative impression against the case.

It is pertinent to note that Anwar was shot dead at a cloth shop in Sahiwal on March 14, 2011. According to the complainant, a dispute had occurred two days prior to the incident over Rs 2,500 in unpaid cloth dues. The trial court had sentenced Naeem Arshad to 25 years in prison in 2015.