Waheed Khan V. Naseebullah and another,
MLD 2025 42 · Balochistan High Court
This case involved Waheed Khan, who was convicted by a Sessions Court in Harnai, Balochistan, for attempted murder after his brother allegedly shot and injured a man named Asadullah. According to the prosecution, Waheed and his absconding brother Ahmed arrived together on a motorcycle, Waheed called the victim out of his shop, and Ahmed then opened fire, wounding him. Waheed was convicted not for firing the shot himself but under the legal principle of common intention, meaning he was held equally responsible for sharing a plan with his brother to commit the crime.
On appeal, the Balochistan High Court examined whether simply accompanying his brother and calling the victim outside was enough to prove Waheed shared a common intention to commit murder. The court found no evidence of prior enmity between the families, no proof of planning between the brothers, and crucially, that Waheed was unarmed at the time. The court reasoned that if he had known his brother intended violence, he likely would have carried a weapon too. The investigation was also weak, failing to even verify ownership of the motorcycle used.
The court explained that convicting someone for sharing common intention under the law requires strong, convincing evidence of prior agreement, not just presence at the scene. Since the prosecution failed to meet this standard, the High Court allowed the appeal and overturned Waheed Khan's conviction. The case highlights how courts guard against punishing people merely for being present during a crime committed by a relative.
یہ مقدمہ وحید خان سے متعلق ہے جنہیں بلوچستان کے ضلع ہرنئی کی سیشن کورٹ نے قتل کی کوشش کے جرم میں سزا سنائی تھی، جب ان کے بھائی نے مبینہ طور پر اسد اللہ نامی شخص کو گولی مار کر زخمی کر دیا تھا۔ استغاثہ کے مطابق، وحید اور ان کا مفرور بھائی احمد موٹرسائیکل پر اکٹھے آئے، وحید نے مدعی کو اس کی دکان سے باہر بلایا، اور پھر احمد نے فائرنگ کر کے اسے زخمی کر دیا۔ وحید کو خود گولی چلانے کے جرم میں نہیں بلکہ "مشترکہ ارادے" کے قانونی اصول کے تحت سزا دی گئی تھی، یعنی انہیں اس بنیاد پر برابر کا ذمہ دار ٹھہرایا گیا کہ وہ اپنے بھائی کے ساتھ جرم کرنے کے منصوبے میں شریک تھے۔
اپیل پر، بلوچستان ہائی کورٹ نے اس سوال کا جائزہ لیا کہ کیا محض بھائی کے ساتھ جانا اور مدعی کو باہر بلانا اس بات کو ثابت کرنے کے لیے کافی ہے کہ وحید قتل کے ارادے میں برابر کے شریک تھے۔ عدالت نے پایا کہ دونوں خاندانوں کے درمیان پہلے سے کسی دشمنی کا کوئی ثبوت