LHC acquittal of accused in Khadija Siddiqui stabbing case condemned

Lahore [Pakistan], June 5 (ANI): Social media was taken by storm soon after the Lahore High Court acquitted Shah Hussain, the law student accused of stabbing fellow law student Khadija Siddiqui at least 23 times.
Reacting to the acquittal, Siddiqui said justice has been butchered.
She took to her Twitter account to say, "Inna lilahi wa ina ilahi rajioon! (Justice butchered. Shah Hussain acquitted!)."

Inna lilahi wa ina ilahi rajioon!
Justice butchered. Shah hussain acquitted!

— khadija siddiqi (@khadeeeej751) June 4, 2018

This was followed by a barrage of reactions on the social media as fellow users criticised the high court's decision on the life-threatening incident.
Pakistani journalist Mehr Tarar demanded life imprisonment for the accused.
"Shah Hussain, who should have been booked for attempted murder and serve a life sentence, is out in less than a year. Today, a huge, huge injustice has been done to 23-year-old Khadija Siddiqi, and there must be united condemnation of that from media and people" Tarar tweeted.

Shah Hussain who should have been booked for attempted murder and serve a life sentence is out in less than a year.

Today, a huge, huge injustice has been done to 23-year-old Khadija Siddiqi, and there must be united condemnation of that from media and people.

— Mehr Tarar (@MehrTarar) June 4, 2018

Further, #Justiceforkhadija was trending the entire day as several others supported Khadija and some also stated various findings reported by the investigation agencies.
"The DNA report in the stabbing case of Khadija Siddiqui stated that the blood found on the helmet of Shah Hussain belongs to the victim. Hair samples also found in the helmet belong to the accused" another Twitter user posted.

The DNA report in the stabbing case of Khadija Siddiqui was states that the blood found on the helmet of Shah Hussain belongs to the victim. Hair samples also found in the helmet belong to the accused. https://t.co/0JxLN3DVmW #WeAreWithKhadija #JusticeForKhadija

— Zarrar Khuhro (@ZarrarKhuhro) June 4, 2018

A Pakistani female actor Mawra Hocane called the verdict to be "outright biased/unfair".
"High court decision in #KhadijaSiddiqi Case is ridiculous. It's outright biased/unfair verdict. Is stabbing someone 23 times not enough to amount for a punishment or is it power over justice ? #KhadijaSiddiqiCase #westandwithKhadija" Hocane tweeted.

High court decision in #KhadijaSiddiqi Case is ridiculous. It's outright biased/unfair verdict. Is stabbing someone 23 times not enough to amount for a punishment or is it power over justice ? #KhadijaSiddiqiCase #westandwithKhadija

— MAWRA HOCANE (@MawraHocane) June 4, 2018

There has been a dedicated Twitter account for #JusticeForKhadija which has followed the recent developments in the case to ensure fair proceedings.
As reported by The Nation, Justice Sardar Ahmed Naeem of the Lahore High Court accepted Hussain's appeal, who is also the son of Advocate Tanvir Hashmi, to acquit him all the charges alleged by Siddiqui, including stabbing, stalking, and intimidation.
Siddiqui was attacked by Shah Hussain on May 3, 2016 near Shimla Hill, where she, along with her driver, had gone to pick her younger sister from school.
Both sisters were about to get into their car when the helmet-wearing Siddiqui attacked Khadija with a knife and stabbed her 23 times, leaving her critically injured.
In an interview to the Dawn, Khadija said she wasn't expecting the high court's verdict to be what it turned out to be as the accused's crime against her was proven "beyond a shadow of doubt".
In July 2017, A judicial magistrate of Lahore awarded Hussain imprisonment under different sections of the Pakistan Penal Code, including Section 324, five years under Section 337F(iv), two years under Section 337A(i), five years under Section 337A(ii) one year under Section 337F(i) and three years under Section 337F(ii).
This was then reduced to five years and finally quashed by the high court.
The victim has appealed to Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar to take notice of the LHC verdict and hear her case directly. (ANI)