BAHAWALPUR: A youth was killed and another person suffered injuries when two rival groups fought on Wednesday at 16/BC police post of Saddar Yazman, about 15 kilometres from Bahawalpur.

Groups, led by Arshad and Sanaullah, clashed in the village over the nomination of a prayer leader at mosque.

The Arshad group arrived at the police post to lodge a complaint against Sanaullah and his companions when Sanaullah and his supporters also came there and again indulged in a brawl. Sanaullah allegedly opened fire leaving Noman Arshad, son of complainant Arshad, injured. Sanallah also received injuries.

Later, Noman died at the Yazman Tehsil Headquarters Hospital.

The Yazman Sadar Police registered a case against Sanaullah, Saifullah, Moon, Qasim and Akram Kashif. The police arrested Sanaullah.

Also, an unidentified motorcyclist was run over and killed by a tractor trolley on Women University Road. The police arrested the driver and started search for the family of the deceased motorcyclist.

VERDICT: According to an official handout, Lahore High Court, Bahawalpur bench, Judge Farooq Haider has acquitted Ali Shahzad of murder, declaring the evidence of complainant as false. The court ordered the district and sessions judge, Bahawalnagar, to proceed against the complainant.

Ali Shahzad and Muhammad Ahmad quarreled with the son of complainant Ahmad Shair. According to the complainant, Shahzad gagged Shair while Ahmad hit him with fist. Shahzad threw Shair on the road which left injury on the back of his head. Later, Shair succumbed to his injuries.

The trial court acquitted Ahmad and sentenced Shahzad to 14 years of rigorous imprisonment and Rs1.9 million as diyat to be paid to the heirs of the deceased.

Shahzad challenged the conviction, which the high court declared in his judgment that the complainant told lies on various occasions while concealing facts from the court.

Justice Haider in his judgment maintained that Chief Justice of Pakistan Asif Saeed Khan Khosa, in the recent landmark judgment (PLD 2019 SC 527), declared that truth is the foundation of justice and justice is the core and bedrock of a civilized society and, thus, any compromise on truth amounts to a compromise on society’s future of a just, fair and civilized society.

The judgment is along the line with the rational laid down by the apex court and in the light of teachings of Islam and it would further highlight the principles of justice and fair play.

Justice Haider maintained that the historic ruling of the Chief Justice of Pakistan has been widely appreciated by the public at large. The recent landmark judgment will be a step towards implementation of the verdict of the apex court to eliminate the menaces of false evidence.

Published in Dawn, June 20th, 2019