KARACHI: A judicial magistrate on Saturday dismissed the acquittal application of the Karsaz accident suspect in a drug case.

The court turned down the application moved by suspect Natasha Danish after hearing arguments from both sides and announced that she will be indicted in the case on June 21.

Initially, the suspect was booked and arrested for recklessly driving the Toyota Land Cruiser and killing 60-year-old Imran Arif and his 22-year-old daughter, Amna, and wounding three others in an accident near Karsaz in August last year.

Later, another FIR was lodged against her after medical reports confirmed that she was under the influence of methamphetamine (ice) at the time of driving.

The applicant, through her lawyer, filed an application under Section 249-A of the criminal procedure code, seeking her acquittal in the case registered under Section 11 (drinking liable to tazir) of the Prohibition (Enforcement of Hadd) Order (PEHO), 1979.

The lawyer for applicant argued that the entire case was based on concocted statement and double jeopardy and the case in question was registered after a delay of 11 days, despite the fact that an FIR was already lodged at the same police station for the said incident.

The defence counsel also contended that registration of the second FIR was made in violation of the law and a judgement of the Supreme Court.

A public prosecutor opposed the plea and argued that the prosecution has sufficient evidence to connect the applicant with the offence. He argued that the case was also still at the pre-trial stage.

Published in Dawn, May 18th, 2025