ISLAMABAD — The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the five-year sentence for a law student for trying to kill his classmate in Lahore three years ago.
On Wednesday, a three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Asif Saeed Khosa, took up Khadija Siddiqi’s petition challenging the acquittal of her fellow student, Shah Hussain.
In 2018, a judicial magistrate sentenced Hussain to seven-year imprisonment. However, the same year in March, a sessions court shortened his jail term from seven years to five years. The Lahore High Court (LHC) had acquitted Hussain after which Siddiqui filed an appeal in the SC.
During the hearing today, Siddiqi, who arrived earlier from United Kingdom, and her sister appeared before the court. The CJP asked why Hussain was named as the stabber after five days since the accident. Siddiqi’s lawyer replied that his client was in critical condition and could not record her statements, local media reported.
The bench asked that Siddiqi’s sister was conscious then why was Hussain named in the case after a delay. When the CJP inquired about the victim’s wounds, her counsel replied that 12 of Siddiqi’s wounds were two centimeters deep.
Shah Hussain was taken into the custody by police shortly after the SC’s verdict.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/headline/man-who-stabbed-khadija-saddiqi-23-times-walks-free-after-acquittal-in-attempted-murder-case/
The case
Khadija Siddiqui, 24, was attacked by her class fellow, Shah Husain, on May 3, 2016, near Shimla Hill, Lahore where she along with her driver had gone to pick her younger sister from school.
https://twitter.com/khadeeeej751/status/1080547226273959938
Both sisters were about to get into their car when the helmet-wearing suspect Hussain attacked Khadija with a knife and stabbed her 23 times leaving her critically injured. She was saved by her driver, who had tried to overpower the attacker, forcing him to flee from the scene.
A few days later, the injured Khadija had identified her attacker and got him booked on charges of attempted murder. Civil Lines police had registered a case against Shah Husain who is the son of lawyer Tanvir Hashmi.
A detailed verdict is due to be announced later today.
