IHC Acquits Four in May 9 Case

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) acquitted the four convicts Sohail Khan, Shahzeb, Akram and Meera Khan, who were convicted in the May 9 case.

The Islamabad High Court heard the acquittal appeals against the convictions of four criminals convicted by the Anti-Terrorism Court in the May 9 case.

A divisional bench comprising Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro and Justice Azam Khan heard the appeals.

Lawyer Babar Awan appeared in court on behalf of Sohail Khan and Shahzeb. Lawyer Babar Awan told the court that the angry crowd was coming shouting slogans. Sohail Khan and Shahzeb were not named anywhere in the FIR. The person who conducted the identity parade did not even mention Sohail Khan’s name in his statement.

The lawyer said that the person who conducted the identification parade named Muhammad Amir in his statement, who was discharged from the case, while the third witness, Attaullah Constable, also identified Muhammad Amir and not Sohail Khan. The record shows that the identification was not done after going to the jail.

Babar Awan said that out of the 9 prosecution witnesses, only one witness, Muhammad Sharif ASI, was identified and it was alleged that firing was carried out but no one was injured. The crime must be punished but the system should not be made a joke. It is requested that Sohail Khan and Shahzeb be acquitted.

Akram and Mira Khan were also identified by only one witness. The names of the witnesses who identified them are not mentioned in the FIR. According to the FIR, four motorcycles were burnt at the gate of the police station with stones, sticks and a vehicle. According to the prosecution, none of those whose motorcycles were burnt named Akram or Mira Khan.

Karam and Mira Khan were not present at the scene on May 9. Only a PTI cap was recovered from the accused Mira Khan. If the prosecution has any evidence, please tell us.

The prosecutor said that there is evidence and will present it if the court gives it time, to which the court said that if it had taken time, it would have been told at the beginning of the case. Now that all the arguments have been heard, the prosecution should prove the presence of the accused at the scene. Now will the court sentence them based on the identity parade?

The prosecutor further said that what could be a bigger act of terrorism than the fact that a police station was attacked and the four PTI workers were sentenced to 27 years in prison under various provisions by the Anti-Terrorism Court, Islamabad, in the May 9 case.

The Islamabad High Court acquitted Sohail Khan, Shahzeb, Akram and Meera Khan, who were convicted in the May 9 case.