The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday acquitted three people, who had been sentenced to death by a sessions court in the murder case of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice retired Javed Iqbal's parents, over lack of sufficient evidence.

In 2011, Javed's parents were found murdered in their house, which was guarded round the clock. Police had said that Naveed Iqbal, who is the step brother of the incumbent NAB chairman, had killed the couple over a money dispute. Officials further said that Naveed was assisted by Abbas Shakir and Ameen Ali.

All three men were sentenced to death and fined Rs550,000 each by a sessions court in 2016 in the murder case of then Supreme Court judge Javed's parents.

In its decision today, a two-member bench said that there was not enough evidence against the earlier suspects to be held guilty and overturned the sessions court's verdict.

In their appeal against the verdict by the sessions court, the men had said that they were arrested by the police over suspicion. The appellants further said that there were no witnesses against them and the police had been unable to produce sufficient evidence before the court. They urged the high court to overturn the verdict and acquit them on the grounds of insufficient evidence.