SC summons complainant witnesses, legal heirs of Zain in murder case

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notices to complainant prosecution witnesses and legal heirs of Zain, a 16-year-old boy who was allegedly killed by Mustafa Kanju in Lahore, directing them to appear before the court on November 16.

A three judge bench, headed by Justice Amir Hani Muslim and consisting of Justice Sardar Tariq Masood and Justice Manzoor Ahmed Malik, initiated the hearing of the suo motu case today.

During the course of proceeding, counsel for the prosecution contended that the witnesses who changed their statements were pressurized by the other party and their signatures were taken on blank papers.

Upon which, the court asked whether any case was registered against those who changed their earlier statements. However, the IG Police refrained himself from answering any question.

Meanwhile, the case file of Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) was also submitted before the three judge bench. When the Bench inquired whether the ATC reviewed media statements of Zain’s mother, the Inspector General of Punjab Police replied that an application was filed before the ATC in this regard, which was rejected by the trial court.

The prosecution counsel contended that the complainant was abducted and threatened but the trial court rejected the applications.

The court also directed the IG Police to ensure their safe appearance before the court.

The 16-year-old boy was allegedly killed in indiscriminate firing by Mustafa Kanju in Lahore, however the ATC acquitted the latter and his accomplices on the basis of lack of evidence.

After which, the Chief Justice of Pakistan took a suo motu notice of the acquittals on October 30 and fixed hearing for November 10.