The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) has ruled that a suspect's confession made to the media while in police custody is inadmissible in court.
This landmark decision, delivered by Justice Athar Minallah in a 25-page written judgement, has resulted in the acquittal of an accused in a child murder case from Karachi, 24NewsHD TV channel reported on Tuesday.
In the judgement, the court stressed that no confession is legally acceptable unless recorded before a magistrate. “A confession made during police remand, and that too to a journalist, cannot be used as evidence,” the verdict stated.
The judgement noted the alarming practice of law enforcement granting journalists access to suspects during custody. In this particular case, the investigation officer and the station in charge had allowed a reporter to interview the suspect while he was still under physical remand. A selectively edited version of the interview was later aired on a private TV channel.
“This is not the first case where a suspect in custody has been exposed in such a manner,” the court noted with concern, adding that this trend is spreading unchecked and violates not only the suspect’s but also the victims’ rights.
The SC warned of the growing influence of media narratives, especially in high-profile cases. “Criminal stories naturally attract public attention. In such cases, the extraordinary interest can fuel media trials,” the ruling said. “The media has enormous power to create narratives—whether accurate or false—and can portray someone as either a hero or a villain.”
The court also highlighted that such influence is especially dangerous in societies where freedom of expression is often suppressed, making media ethics even more critical. It urged the media to adhere strictly to moral codes of conduct.
The ruling directed that copies of the judgement be sent to the Secretary of Interior, the Secretary of Information, the PEMRA Chairman, and all provincial Chief Secretaries for enforcement and awareness.
Previously, the trial court had sentenced the accused, Shahid Ali, to death. The Sindh High Court upheld the conviction based primarily on his televised confession. The Supreme Court, however, overturned the verdict, stating that the confession was not legally admissible.
Reporter: Amanat Gishkori