A judicial magistrate on Saturday ordered the release on bail of the son of Islamabad High Court (IHC) Justice Mohammed Asif, after the victims’ families forgave him in the fatal accident case that claimed the lives of two young women.

The tragic incident occurred late at night on Monday near the Pakistan National Council of Arts in Islamabad when a black speeding sports utility vehicle (SUV) allegedly driven by Abuzar struck two girls who worked part-time for an event management company. The victims were travelling on a scooter when the speeding vehicle hit them, killing both on the spot due to severe injuries.

The accused, Abuzar, was remanded into police custody on Tuesday in the case.

He was produced before Judicial Magistrate Shaista Kundi upon completion of his four-day physical remand today. During the proceedings, the court recorded statements of the victims’ families.

The brother of one victim appeared in person, while her mother submitted her statement online. The father of the other girl also confirmed before the court that he had pardoned the accused.

After the statements were recorded, the court accepted the accused’s bail and ordered his immediate release.

According to the First Information Report (FIR) registered at the Secretariat Police Station on the complaint of Sub-Inspector Muhammad Asghar, the vehicle fled immediately after the collision.

Police traced the SUV through its registration number and located the suspect at a private hospital where he had reportedly gone for medical treatment. He was taken into custody, medical and forensic samples were collected, and the vehicle was impounded for examination.

On Tuesday, Judicial Magistrate Kundi had initially granted police physical remand of the accused after investigators requested more time to verify the medical report, conduct a vehicle inspection, and record eyewitness statements.

Sections 322 (manslaughter), 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way) and 427 (mischief causing damage) of the Pakistan Penal Code were invoked in the case.

With both families pardoning the accused before the court, the magistrate granted bail and directed that Abuzar be released.

In Islamabad in 2022, an SUV allegedly driven by the daughter of a Lahore High Court (LHC) judge ran over two persons near the Sohan bridge on the Expressway and the investigation into the case had remained stalled.

As per the details available in the judicial record, on June 8, Shakeel Tanoli and his colleague, Hasnain Ali, were going home at midnight when they were hit by an SUV allegedly driven by a woman.

In July, 2024, Inspector General of Islamabad Police Ali Nasir Rizvi informed the IHC that the vehicle involved in the hit and run case was driven by a woman and was in the use of Supreme Court Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmed.

In February this year, a local court in Islamabad acquitted Shanzay Malik, the daughter of the Supreme Court judge. The verdict was announced by Judicial Magistrate Adnan Yousuf, who accepted the acquittal application filed by Malik’s legal team.