LHC overturns life sentence, acquits man in wife’s death case

The Lahore High Court has acquitted a man who was sentenced to life imprisonment in his wife’s murder case, overturning his conviction after accepting his appeal against the punishment, reported the 24NewsHD TV channel on Friday.

Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh issued a 19-page written verdict, declaring the life sentence awarded to accused Mian Khan as null and void. The court also dismissed the review petition filed by the complainant.

In its decision, the Lahore High Court stated that a person cannot be punished solely on the basis of suspicion. The court observed that in criminal cases, the benefit of doubt always goes to the accused when the prosecution fails to prove the charges with reliable evidence.

The verdict stated that the prosecution was unable to establish the allegations against Mian Khan through strong and convincing evidence. The court ruled that a conviction cannot be maintained on the basis of weak or insufficient evidence.

The court further observed that an unnatural death of a wife does not automatically make the husband responsible for the crime. According to the judgment, strong evidence must first be presented before an accused can be required to explain the circumstances surrounding the death.

The court also noted that the mere fact that the death occurred inside the home is not enough to prove a murder charge. Criminal liability must be established through concrete evidence rather than assumptions.

The Lahore High Court’s ruling reaffirmed the principle that doubts in criminal cases must benefit the accused, and convictions cannot be based only on suspicion.

Reporter: Malik Ashraf