The Lahore High Court has acquitted a man sentenced to life imprisonment for allegedly shooting and killing his wife, ruling the previous conviction invalid due to lack of concrete evidence.
Justice Amjad Rafiq set aside the 2023 life sentence nearly five years after the incident, and issued a 10-page written judgment on the appeal filed by the convict.
The verdict referenced recent research from The New York Times, noting an increasing global trend in suicide by firearm among women. The court observed that such trends may be quietly rising in Pakistan too.
According to the judgment, the prosecution failed to prove its narrative. While it claimed the convict’s two wives often fought, no evidence was presented to support this. Medical reports showed a gunshot wound to the head, indicating possible suicide, and the burden was on the prosecution to prove it was homicide – which it failed to do.
The convict, Jamroz Khan, was charged in a 2020 murder case in Sheikhupura under multiple sections, including murder. A sessions court had sentenced him to life in prison in 2023 along with a fine of one million rupees.
The FIR alleged that Khan had married Halima Bibi as a second wife. Both wives lived under one roof and had frequent disputes. The second wife left, and when Khan tried to reconcile, she refused. He then allegedly shot her in anger.
However, the high court noted significant gaps in the evidence: there were no eyewitnesses, the accused did not flee, and he personally took the injured wife to the hospital. There was also unexplained delay in reporting the incident to police.
Based on these findings, the court accepted the appeal and acquitted the accused of all charges.