Karachi: A Pakistani medical board on Monday declared a key accused in a murder case a “minor” while the family of the victim vowed to challenge the report.
An anti terrorism court (ATC) was hearing the case of the murder of Suleman Lashari, a young man who was gunned down in the posh area of Defence Housing Authority (DHA) by one of his friends.
A joint investigation team was formed to investigate the Lashari’s alleged murder by his friend Salman Abro, the son of a senior police officer.
Abro himself was injured in the exchange of gunfire when Lashari was killed.
Witnesses identified Abro as the killer in the ATC proceedings but his lawyer challenged the trial claiming that Abro was underage and his trial had be held under the relevant laws.
A medical board was formed by the court that today submitted its report declaring Abro as the minor, putting his age between 17 to 18.
Lashari’s family said they would challenge the report.
The Lashari murder case early this year returned to prominence after a similar case in which a young son of a rich and influential man shot down one of his colleagues and managed to escape conveniently from the country.
Civil society, rights activists and some political parties highlighted the issue in the media, which attracted the attention of the then chief justice of Pakistan, who took up the case and supervised the trial court himself.
Shahrukh Jatoi, the murderer was arrested and brought back home from abroad to face the trial. The family of the young murderer also tried to establish that he was underage and his trial be run as juvenile. However, medical reports finally declared him as adult. The trial court awarded death sentence to him.
