Zain Murder Case: SC verdict on Kanju's acquittal on Thursday

ISLAMABAD (Staff Report) - The Supreme Court of Pakistan is set to announced a verdict on acquittal of prime suspect Mustafa Kanju and five others in Zain murder case.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Mr Anwar Zaheer Jamali had taken a suo moto notice over acquittal order of an anti-terrorism court in this case.

On November 16 a three-member-bench reserved verdict after listening to the witnesses, family of the deceased and petitioner, ordering the prosecutor general Punjab to submit a copy of plea filed by Punjab government against ATC the decision.

A copy of plea filed in Lahore High Court (LHC) was submitted in the apex court on Wednesday and now the bench is expected to give announce the reserved decision on Thursday.

During the previous hearing the mother of 16-years-old deceased orphan boy Zain told the Supreme Court of Pakistan that she cannot fight the powerful murderers of his son while having two ‘daughters’ at home.

At which Justice Amir Hani Muslim, who was heading the bench comprising of  Justice Manzoor Ahmed Malik and Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, said that justice will be done not matter how powerful the murders have been.

"Government will pursue the case of murder of your son, you don't need to bother in this regard," he told the mother.

On the occasion the bench once again ordered IG Punjab Police take every measure to ensure the protection of all six witnesses, family of the deceased and petitioner in the case.

“Apparently justice has been served by the Lahore’s anti-terrorism court in this case,” the bench noted.

The investigation officer, and other parties to the case also appeared before the superior court.

Afterwards the bench also recorded statements of witnesses, who allegedly withdrew their initial testimonies before an anti-terrorism court of Lahore, in the chamber behind closed doors.

Earlier on November 10, the prosecution team in Zain muder case told Supreme Court of Pakistan that witnesses and petitioners had withdrawn their statements after receiving money from the prime accused Mustafa Kanju, who is son of former federal minister Sadiq Kanju.

The case record of anti-terrorism court and police statements of all witnesses were presented before the court. At which the bench asked whether police has provided any protection to the witnesses and petitioners because the prime accused is a powerful person and he can use his influence in the case.

The prosecution told judges that witnesses, that included eye-witnesses and others, initially testified that Mustafa Kanju and all five other accused were responsible for the murder of 16-years-old orphan boy Zain. However when presented before ATC the witness withdrew their prior statements and said that they did not clrealy see the culprits at time of murder, the team maintained.

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on October 27 ordered to release Mustafa Kanju, the son of former federal minister, and five others in Zain murder case when all of the witnesses reverted their statements before court failing to identify them as murders.

The court had reserved verdict after completion of arguments on September 24 in Kanju’s acquittal case.

The prosecution failed to prove the case against son of former federal minister and none of the mentioned eye-witnesses identified him as a culprit, the ATC verdict said.