The Lahore High Court has rejected the appeal against the life imprisonment of Muhammad Ashraf, the accused who killed his wife with sticks in Gujranwala, and upheld the trial court’s decision.
Justice Asjad Javed Gharal issued a six-page written judgment stating that the eyewitness against the accused is his son and his testimony is credible. The court clarified that a son cannot falsely accuse his father, and the allegation cannot be rejected without evidence.
The verdict also presented the position of the accused’s lawyer that the victim’s other children were also present, but no one filed a charge sheet against the father. However, the court said that it is necessary to look at their importance more than the number of witnesses. The court further said that not every child can be expected to testify against his father; the effects of fear and loyalty can affect the nature of the case. Therefore, the other children’s failure to testify against the father does not weaken the prosecution’s case.
The court also noted that the accused’s lawyer argued that no clear reason was given for killing the victim, but the judge said that a crime can be committed without a reason, and this cannot be a reason for the acquittal of the accused. The prosecution has fully proven its case, so the High Court dismissed the appeal, upholding the conviction of the accused.
It should be noted that the case against the accused, Muhammad Ashraf, was registered in the Gujranwala police station in 2021, and in the year 2022, the Gujranwala Sessions Court sentenced him to life imprisonment and a fine.
