LAHORE (Muhammad Ashfaq) - The Lahore High Court (LHC) has overturned the life imprisonment sentence awarded to a man convicted of killing his sister in the name of honour.
In a detailed 42-page verdict, Justice Amjad Rafiq accepted the appeal of convict Ayaz Adil, overturning the sentence earlier handed down by a sessions court.
The judge observed that under existing law, confessions made before police officers are not admissible as evidence, except under Section 21-H of the Anti-Terrorism Act, which provides limited legal cover to police interviews.
The court suggested that legislation be introduced to recognize police confessions as evidence, provided they are video-recorded and conducted in a transparent manner. The verdict noted that in developed countries, police interviews are considered part of admissible evidence due to institutional trust, whereas Pakistan’s criminal justice system suffers from a lack of trust among its components.
Highlighting investigative lapses, the court pointed out that although the victim’s body was reportedly found on a charpoy, it was never taken into custody. The alleged murder weapon was also not recovered, and despite the courtyard being washed, an empty shell was “mysteriously” recovered near the body. While the body was found at the scene, the prosecution failed to conclusively prove that the murder actually occurred there, creating a major gap in the case.
The court emphasized that failure to secure convictions in honour killing cases has grave societal consequences, leaving women vulnerable and emboldening perpetrators. It noted that civil proceedings remain an effective parallel remedy even after criminal trials.
According to police data cited in the judgment, honour killings have declined in Punjab, from 203 cases in 2020 to 96 cases in 2025.
While expressing concern over the crime, the court ruled that the prosecution had failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt and allowed the appeal, acquitting the accused. The LHC also issued comprehensive guidelines for police and prosecutors to improve investigation and evidence collection in honour killing cases.