Court acquits three in murder case of ANP woman leader

PESHAWAR: A model court on Tuesday acquitted three accused, including the stepson and brother-in-law, in the murder case of Awami National Party (ANP) woman leader Najma Hanif for lack of evidence.

A model court judge, additional sessions judge Amir Ali, acquitted Sajjad, son of Hanif Gul Jadoon, stepson of the deceased woman, his uncle Noorul Hassan and driver Sherin Jan after the prosecution and deceased woman lawyer could not prove the motive behind the murder.

During arguments, Sahibzada Asadullah, counsel for the accused, submitted that as per the first

FIR lodged on August 16, 2013, by Sajjad, stepson of the deceased woman has stated that his mother was shot dead by unknown terrorists at her house in Hayatabad.

In the first FIR, the complainant stated that he along with driver Hanif were locked by the unknown terrorists in the basement and then shot dead his mother, who was ANP candidate on a reserved seat for women.

However, the lawyer submitted that later Salma, sister of the deceased woman charged Sajjad, his uncle Noorul Hassan and driver Sherin Jan in the murder case of her sister in the second FIR after five months of the case through a court order.

The lawyer pointed out before the court that first, the complainant lady lodged FIR against the accused after five months delay that her sister was killed due to a property dispute.

The lawyer submitted that the complainant’s lawyer and the prosecution failed to establish the motive behind the murder.

He pointed out before the court that the statements of the eyewitnesses and other witnesses were conflicting.

The court after completion of arguments and recording statements of the witnesses issued an acquittal order of the accused.

It is pertinent to mention that Najma Hanif Jadoon’s husband and former tehsil nazim, Hanif Gul Jadoon, was killed along with his 16-year-old son and a gunman in a suicide attack in Swabi in November 2011.