Fake witness in murder case entails life term: CJP

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court Tuesday issued notices to two fake witnesses for recording false testimonies in a murder case.

The court summoned Zafar Abbas and Maqsood Hussain over false testimonies on October 28. A two-member bench of the court, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa and comprising Justice Qazi Mohammed Amin Ahmed, heard the case.

The chief justice observed that the witnesses had misled the court, as both were not present on the crime scene. “The witnesseswere presented after creating a false story,” he added. He said fake witnesses had corrupted the justice system.

According to law, a false witness in a murder case entailed life imprisonment, Justice Khosa said, adding the court would not spare false witnesses. The court suspended the high court verdict and acquitted Zulfiqar Hussain Shah. The court ordered the District Police Officer, Sargodha to appear before it on October 28 with both the fake witnesses.

The trial court had awarded capital punishment to Zulfiqar Hussain Shah and acquitted Jaffer Shah over murder of Iqrar Hussain Shah in 2011 in Sargodha. Later, the Lahore High Court converted the death sentence into life imprisonment.