CJP takes notice of acquittal of Khadija’s attacker
The CJP will hear the case on June 10
June 05, 2018
LAHORE: Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar took suo moto notice on Tuesday of the recent acquittal of Shah Hussain, the man earlier convicted for stabbing Khadija Siddiqui several times.
In 2017, Shah Hussain was found guilty of stabbing Khadija at least 23 times on Lahore’s Davis Road.
The CJP is to hear the case on June 10 at the SC Lahore registry and has summoned all the record of the case from the Lahore High Court (LHC).
On Monday, the LHC’s Justice Ahmed Naeem had acquitted Hussain, giving him benefit of doubt.
During the proceedings, the convict’s lawyer stated that his client had been facing punishment over baseless allegations.
He said that Shah Hussain was not present at the time of the attack and the evidence against him is insufficient. Following the arguments, the LHC acquitted the convict.
After the verdict, Khadija announced she will challenge the LHC verdict, giving the attacker clean chit.
She had said that the acquittal of the suspect is a huge setback for her but she is all geared up to challenge the LHC's decision.
Social media erupted in outrage after the decision and #JusticeforKhadija became a top trend.
Mahira Khan, Osman Khalid Butt, Mawra Hocane and Jeremy McLellan were among those who took to Twitter demanding #JusticeForKhadija and condemning LHC's decision.
On July 29, 2017, a court in the provincial capital of Punjab sentenced the main accused, Shah Hussain, for stabbing Siddiqui. The attacker had managed to flee from the scene of the crime but was captured on a mobile camera by an eyewitness.
Siddiqui was saved by her driver, who had tried to overpower the attacker, forcing him to flee from the scene on May 3, 2016.
Last year, a local court sentenced Shah to seven years in prison, which was later reduced to five by a district and sessions court on March 30, this year.
