LHC acquits main accused in Khadija stabbing case

LAHORE: About a year after the main accused in Khadija Siddiqui stabbing case was sentenced seven years imprisonment, the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday reversed the jail term and acquitted him, ARY News reported.

Shah Hussain, son of an influential lawyer Tanver Hashmi, was arrested from the court room last year and handed down a collective imprisonment of 23 years in the case of attempted murder of the law student.

Khadija has decided to move the Supreme Court after LHC Justice Sardar Ahmed Naeem announced the shocking court verdict to acquit the prime suspect on ground of lack of evidences.

Khadija right now. All pumped to fight the next battle. Supreme Court we are coming.

Shah hussain the butcher no mafia can stop us. This is mafia vs the weak vulnerable people of the society. Decision was shocking today #WeareWithKhadija #JusticeForKhadija pic.twitter.com/XTGSZpl0F9

— Hassaan Niazi (@HniaziISF) June 4, 2018

Khadija Siddiqui, a student at a private law college, had been attacked by her class fellow Shah Hussain on May 3, 2016. Siddiqui had gone to pick her younger sister from school. Both sisters were about to get into their car when the accused attacked Khadija with a knife, stabbing her 23 times.

Hussain’s father had attempted to coerce the complainant into withdrawing the case. But fighting against all odds, she stood her ground fighting for her right.

Earlier, after the accused approached the session court his jail sentence was abbreviated to five years and today the remaining five years term was overturned by the high court.

The victim has expressed disgust over the decision and wrote on her social media account:

Inna lilahi wa ina ilahi rajioon!
Justice butchered. Shah hussain acquitted!

— khadija siddiqi (@khadeeeej751) June 4, 2018

Read More: Key suspect in Khadija stabbing case sentenced to 23 years in prison

Lawyer of the student, Hassaan Niazi also expressed anguish and said, “Today I’m in shock. As a human rights lawyer, my hopes with the system, led by justice Saqib Nisar, have been shattered. This butcher has been acquitted today. Today he is a free man. All the weak and vulnerable… Justice Sardar Naeem has sent a msg to you all: Might Is Right.

“It was always a fight between the son of a lawyer who stabbed Khadija 23 times vs all the victims who fail to get justice. Today Lahore high court decision proved that only might shall win. Short order of acquittal given today has left me in shock. How can the system be so ruthless.”

He further said, “It was Khadija’s battle till yesterday. Khadija you did your job well. Today you didn’t lose – it was society that lost. So it is battle of the society now. The hashtag in support of Khadija is #WeAreWithKhadija plz use this. We will fight back – we will fight the Mafia.”

It was always a fight between the son of a lawyer who stabbed khadija 23 times vs all the victims who fail to get justice.
Today lahore high court decision proved that only might shall win. Short order of acquittal given today has left me shock. How can the system be so ruthless

— Hassaan Niazi (@HniaziISF) June 4, 2018

Today I’m in shock. As a human rights lawyer my hopes with the system,lead by justice saqib Nisar have been left shattered. This butcher has been acquitted today. Today he is free man.

All the weak and vulnerable. Justice Sardar Naeem has sent a msg to you all: Might Is Right https://t.co/qpO4C4aHdr

— Hassaan Niazi (@HniaziISF) June 4, 2018

It was Khadija’s battle till yesterday. Khadija you did your job well. Today you didn’t lose – it was society that lost. So it is battle of the society now. The hashtag In Support of khadija is #WeAreWithKhadija plz use this. We will fight back – we will fight the Mafia pic.twitter.com/yp8cHWPdNq

— Hassaan Niazi (@HniaziISF) June 4, 2018