Muhammad Javed and others V. Zameer Haider and 2 others,
YLR 2018 1021 · Balochistan High Court
This case involved the murder of Muhammad Rafiq, who was shot while riding home on a motorbike with his wife and young son in Quetta. The case was initially registered against unknown attackers, but investigation revealed that the deceased's wife was allegedly having an illicit relationship with another man, and the deceased was seen as an obstacle to that relationship. Evidence showed the male accused had traveled from another city, stayed at a hotel, and that the wife had taken her husband out to visit a spiritual healer before the ambush occurred on their way back. The accused were convicted by the trial court, leading to jail appeals by the convicts and a separate petition by the complainant seeking harsher punishment.
The High Court examined circumstantial evidence including the accused's suspicious travel and hotel stay, confessional statements recorded before a magistrate, recovered bullet shells, blood-stained clothing matching medical evidence, and cell phone records. It held that although there was no independent eyewitness besides the wife, this chain of circumstantial evidence was strong enough to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt. Minor inconsistencies in witness testimony and investigative lapses were held insufficient to undermine the prosecution's case. The court also ruled that a properly recorded judicial confession, not made under police pressure, is valid evidence. The failure to recover the murder weapon did not weaken the case since it was adequately explained. The court upheld the convictions, dismissing the appeals, while noting that the woman received a lesser sentence due to mitigating circum
یہ مقدمہ محمد رفیق کے قتل سے متعلق ہے جنہیں کوئٹہ میں اپنی بیوی اور کم سن بیٹے کے ہمراہ موٹر سائیکل پر گھر واپس آتے ہوئے گولی مار دی گئی تھی۔ ابتدائی طور پر یہ مقدمہ نامعلوم افراد کے خلاف درج کیا گیا، تاہم تفتیش کے دوران یہ بات سامنے آئی کہ مقتول کی بیوی کے ایک دوسرے شخص کے ساتھ مبینہ ناجائز تعلقات تھے اور مقتول کو اس تعلق کی راہ میں رکاوٹ سمجھا جاتا تھا۔ شواہد سے یہ بھی ظاہر ہوا کہ مرد ملزم دوسرے شہر سے سفر کر کے آیا تھا اور ایک ہوٹل میں ٹھہرا تھا، جبکہ بیوی اپنے شوہر کو ایک روحانی معالج کے پاس لے کر گئی تھی، اور واپسی کے راستے میں ہی یہ گھات لگا کر حملہ کیا گیا۔ ٹرائل کورٹ نے ملزمان کو مجرم قرار دیا تھا، جس کے بعد مجرمان کی جانب سے جیل اپیلیں دائر کی گئیں جبکہ مدعی نے بھی سزا میں اضافے کے لیے علیحدہ درخواست دائر کی۔
ہائی کورٹ نے قرائنی شواہد کا تفصیلی جائزہ لیا جن میں ملزم ک