SC acquits murder accused

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Friday acquitted an accused in a murder case due to a lack of evidence and weak prosecution.

A two-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel, accepted the appeal of Muhammad Javed, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in the Tala Gang murder case 11 years ago.

The counsel for the accused argued before the court that other individuals named in the case had already been acquitted, while one of the accused had passed away during the trial.

Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan observed that even in murder cases, the prosecution is obligated to prove the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt to secure a conviction. Subsequently, the court acquitted Muhammad Javed on grounds of insufficient evidence and the prosecution’s failure to substantiate the charges. The accused had been sentenced to life imprisonment, a verdict that was previously upheld by the high court. Later, the accused had filed an appeal in the Supreme Court challenging his conviction.