Supreme Court acquits man after 23 years, cites doubts in murder conviction

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has acquitted a man convicted of murdering five people after 23 years, giving him the benefit of the doubt.

The court’s decision was based on doubts about the evidence presented against the culprit.

The judgment written by Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmed said that even a doubt in the case was enough to acquit the accused. The court raised questions about the reliability of eyewitness testimonies, especially about how he was present at the victim’s house at night.

Accused Muhammad Ishaq was convicted in 2002 for the murder of his uncle, aunt and their three children in Mirpurkhas. He was sentenced to five life sentences and a fine of Rs. 200,000 by the sessions court. The Sindh High Court upheld the sentence.

However, due to incomplete evidence and lingering doubts, the Supreme Court acquitted Ishaq, setting aside the previous verdict.