Delayed DNA report riles court

Zain murder case

LAHORE

A division bench of the Lahore High Court on Tuesday irked on inordinate delay in DNA report of blood samples of a young boy (Zain) allegedly killed by former state minister Siddique Kanju’s son Mustafa Kanju.

The bench observed that it was a high profile case and the prosecution should have shown some responsibility.

The bench headed by Justice Shahid Hameed Dar was hearing an appeal of the prosecution department against acquittal of Mustafa Kanju in the murder case. During the hearing, Punjab Prosecutor General Ehtesham Qadir Shah stated that the DNA report of the victim’s blood samples was yet to be prepared by the forensic laboratory. He said blood stains of Zain were found in the car of Kanju as the former was taken to hospital in the latter’s vehicle.

The bench expressed serious dismay over the undue delay in the preparation of the report and questioned the acclaimed efficiency of the forensic laboratory. The bench directed the prosecutor to submit the DNA report by December 28. 

Earlier, the prosecutor argued that the trial court decided acquittal application of the respondent (Kanju) in a haste without examining facts of the case.

He said the trial court did not record statements of police witnesses. The PG said the trial court allowed acquittal application of the suspect exclusively on the basis of retracted witnesses of the prosecution. He asked the bench to issue admit notices on the appeal and start regular hearing.

Regulators: Lahore High Court senior Judge Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah has said regulators should perform their job in a free and fair manner so burden of cases in judiciary could be reduced. 

He said this at an inaugural session of a three-day workshop for adjudicating officers of State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) at Punjab Judicial Academy. 

Justice Shah said institutions should improve their mutual relationship and it would be possible if regulators were appointed as per their experience and merit. He said regulators should also form dispute resolution committees on grass root level so that issues of public could be resolved before resorting to litigation.