Lahore High Court (LHC) reserved its verdict in the Khadija Siddiqi case – the woman who has come to be known as the one who was stabbed 23 times in broad daylight.

The case was as clear as it could be. The courts knew exactly who the culprit was and all they had to do was announce his punishment

But the twist in the situation was that he was the son of an influential lawyer and his father was doing everything in his capacity to save his son.

Last year, a magistrate sentenced Shah Hussain to 7 years in prison but that decision was challenged in the sessions court. The court lowered his sentence to 5 years before the decision was again challenged in the LHC

LHC was supposed to announce its decision regarding the case and one of Khadija’s lawyers, Hassaan Niazi, was actively updating followers on Twitter regarding the developments in the case

However, much to their disappointment, the decision of the court went in favor of the attacker

Sardar Naeem Ahmed was the judge in the case and he is yet to provide a detailed outline of the judgment, which will then highlight why this decision was taken. Till now there is no idea on when the detailed judgment would be made available, as the judge has only announced the acquittal and not when it will be available. The case is of a sensitive nature, the family in question is an influential family – this means that it is very likely for them to be able to influence the decision. With a clear cut case like this, judgments of acquittal come as a shock and are a sign of protecting those in power – a problem plaguing each part of this country.

We got in touch with Hassaan Niazi and inquired about the short order:

According to him, there can be two reasons why the court has acquitted Shah Hussain.

Number 1: The medical record provided was false – the medical officer lied and said her wounds do not exist.

Number 2: Khadija’s story was false.

The court can also use both. However this is just a speculation and only after the judgement is released will one be able to find out the actual reason for the acquittal.

 

Many have taken to Twitter to express their disbelief

https://twitter.com/therealfasih/status/1003629844641574912

This particular decision shows that not only the influential get away with their crimes and the law offers them protection but also that women in this country have no safe haven

Many ask women for proofs and to resolve their issues in the court of law, but this is how the law betrays them. The system is constantly letting down those who are in weaker positions because it is easier to exploit them and ignore their situation because “might is right”.

https://twitter.com/monadarling/status/1003605777146433536

https://twitter.com/TheAadilAamir/status/1003631112466386944

Is Pakistan a failing state? A country whose institutions cannot resolve a crystal clear case needs to reevaluate its progress and the ideals it holds on to

The Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar is known for the suo moto notices and his eagerness to fix the broken system

However, one can only fix a broken system if your own house is in order. The institution of judiciary is failing people due to its nonchalance regarding the billions of pending cases or the injustices people face at the hands of the law. The cases of Khadjia Siddiqi, Asma Nawab and Zulfiqar Ali are a huge question mark on the efficiency of the justice system.

https://twitter.com/BeVitalSmile/status/1003631071181852677

Pakistanis are using hashtag #WeAreWithKhadija to alert the authorities and push for action

https://twitter.com/arshid_sohaib/status/1003633339809632256

https://twitter.com/TheAadilAamir/status/1003636190837465091

When asked what this decision means for Khadjia and her team, here is what they had to say:

“We are shattered and disappointed in the judiciary. They are the hope of the people and they have let us down. The mafia won against the judicial system. Khadija fought with great resilience. A lot of strong lawyers appeared against her – members of the bar association, and elected president of the bar association. Remember that in our case we were threatened to stay away. It is an unreasonable decision and will surely be challenged in the Supreme Court. We have high expectations from the Supreme Court. A bad precedent is being set with this judgement.”

 

This is going to be their last resort. All eyes will now be on the SC to get this woman the justice that she deserves.

Please become a part of this movement to protest this judgment and push for justice in Khadija’s case. The current judegment is a death threat for Khadija, whose security arrangment has also been taken away post the judgement.

 

 

This Girl In Lahore Was Stabbed 23 Times In Broad Daylight A Year Ago, She’s Still Waiting For Justice