SC Restrains Trial Court From Finally Deciding Atiqa Odho's Case

The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notices to the federation in Atiqa Odho's case and directed the trial court not to pass any orders till the decision of the case

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Sep, 2017 ) : The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notices to the federation in Atiqa Odho's case and directed the trial court not to pass any orders till the decision of the case.

A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Ejaz afzal Khan heard the civil petition filed by Atiqa Odho through her counsel Barrister Syed Ali Zafar praying that directions be issued to the trial court to decide her application for acquittal on merits.

During the course of proceedings, Barrister Ali Zafar began his arguments and submitted that Atiqa Odho had been involved in a false case as a result of suo moto action taken by the then Chief Justice of Pakistan based on news reports.

He submitted that in those suo moto proceedings directions had been issued to the concerned authorities to register a First Information Report (FIR) against Atiqa Odho for allegedly carrying banned liquor when travelling from Islamabad to Karachi.

Ali Zafar submitted that the case against his client was false and frivolous and after the prosecution had concluded its evidence which was obvious that no case had been made out against her and accordingly she was entitled to acquittal under the provisions of Section 265-K of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Barrister Zafar submitted that however because of the fear and pressure that the case had been registered at the behest of the Supreme Court, no court below was willing to deal with her application and decide the same on merits.

According to the counsel all the courts below had rejected the application for acquittal on the basis that the trial was not yet finished and the matter would be decided after closing of Atiqa's evidence in defence.

Barrister Zafar however argued that the courts below should have disposed off Atiqa Odho's application on merit instead of postponing the decision on technicality and requested the court that the matter be remanded to the trial court for decision in accordance with law. Later, hearing of the case was adjourned for ten days.