LAHORE: Malik Mohammad Asad, son of the late Malik Amir Mohammad Khan, former Governor of West Pakistan, was today [Dec 8] acquitted of the charge of murdering his father by Mr Justice Mohammad Afzal Khan.

The Judge held that the act of the accused was not culpable and hence he was acquitted of the charge. The Judge observed, “In a criminal case, it is duty of the court to review the entire evidence that has been produced by the prosecution and defence. If after an examination of the whole evidence, the court is of the opinion that there is a reasonable possibility that the defence put forward by the accused might be true, it is clear that such a view reacts on the whole prosecution case.

“In these circumstances, the accused is entitled to the benefit of doubt not as a matter of grace but as a matter of right, because the prosecution has not proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.”

Mr Justice Mohammad Afzal Khan, who was hearing the case in the High Court on the regional side, had reserved his judgement in the case in November last. It was to be pronounced on Friday last but was postponed till today because of Friday being a public holiday. — Agency

Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2019