ORDER SHEET

IN THE HIGH COURT OF SINDH AT KARACHI

Criminal Bail Application No.827 of 2025

DATE

ORDER WITH SIGNATUREs OF JUDGEs

 

For hearing of bail application

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16.02.2026

            Mr. Rashid Mehmood Abbasi, advocate for applicant

            Mr. Sharafuddin Kanhar, A.P.G.

            PI Muhammad Rashid and IO/SIP Abdul Khaliq of PS Aziz Bhatti

            Complainant present in person

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            Applicant/accused Ali Akbar Khaskheli seeks interim pre-arrest bail in FIR No.104/2025, registered at P.S. Aziz Bhatti, Karachi for offence under section 302, 34, PPC, after dismissal of his bail plea by learned Additional Sessions Judge-XIV East, Karachi.

            It is alleged in the FIR that complainant was informed by his relative Ali Akbar that complainant’s daughter Zaheera, aged about 17 years, has become injured and was shifted to Trauma Centre, Civil Hospital, Karachi in unconscious condition, where she was admitted in I.C.U. on 19.10.2022. On 25.10.2024, his daughter expired, dead body was brought to native place where she was buried. Nek Mards of community have decided the issue but the accused party violated the decision, hence the subject FIR upon order of the Court.

 

            Learned counsel for applicant submits that there is delay of three years in lodgment of FIR without plausible explanation; that complainant has only alleged that five accused are involved in murder of his daughter Zaheera, aged about 17 years, but neither any source of identification has been disclosed nor he assigned any role to accused; that during investigation, IO failed to dig out the involvement of any accused with specific role; that alleged incident is an unseen offence and there is no eyewitness of the alleged incident, hence the case of applicant requires further inquiry in terms of Section 497(2), Cr.PC.

 

            Learned A.P.G., assisted by complainant in person, contended that applicant is nominated in FIR and ocular version is corroborated by medical evidence. However, he admits that alleged incident is unseen and that there is delay of three years in lodging the FIR.

 

            Heard the learned counsel for applicant, learned A.P.G., complainant and perused the material available on record.

 

            Admittedly, there is delay of three years in lodgment of FIR without any plausible explanation; that the alleged offence is unseen and complainant has only stated in FIR that 5 accused, including applicant, are involved in the murder of his daughter Zaheera, aged about 17 years but neither he disclosed any source of information nor produced any eyewitness of alleged incident before the IO. From tentative assessment of the material available on record, it appears that the case of applicant calls for further inquiry in terms of Section 497(2), Cr.PC; that in case of pre-arrest bail, merits cannot be considered as held by the Supreme Court of Pakistan in the cases of Muhammad Ramzan versus Zafrullah (1986 SCMR 1380) and Muhammad Ijaz versus The State (2022 SCMR 1271); Therefore, interim pre-arrest bail granted to applicant above named by this Court vide order dated 25.03.2025 is confirmed on the same terms and conditions. Applicant/accused is directed to join the trial forthwith.

 

The observations made herein above are tentative in nature, the same would not prejudice the case of either party at trial.

 

            The instant criminal bail application is accordingly disposed of.

 

                                                                                                            J U D G E

Gulsher/PS