Petitioner approaches SC to overturn IHC’s acquittal of accused in domestic violence case

ISLAMABAD: A domestic violence case landed at the doorstep of the Supreme Court on Tuesday, as the victim petitioner moved to overturn the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) Feb 24, 2026 acquittal of an accused.

The controversy stems from a case of domestic violence committed against the petitioner who was then residing at her matrimonial home but subjected to cruelty at the hands of her in-laws for a considerable period prior to the occurrence.

The criminal appeal was moved by senior lawyer Syed Ishfaq Hussain Naqvi before the Supreme Court on behalf of the victim complainant.

On June 13, 2023 at about 6:37am, a violent occurrence took place within the limits of Police Station Nilore, Islamabad when the petitioner was attacked inside her house during a domestic dispute.

Naheed Ahmed – respondent No. 2 and brother of the petitioner’s husband – specifically assaulted her, dragged her, threw her to the ground and caused repeated blows to her, as a result of which she sustained serious injuries and lost consciousness.

The petition stated that the injuries sustained by the petitioner were grave in nature and she remained under treatment; her injuries were medically examined and brought on record during trial.

The petition claimed that Naheed Ahmed was not a first-time offender in relation to acts of violence against women within the family. Previously, Munazza Shaheen, wife of Abdul Waheed (elder brother of Naheed Ahmed) had lodged FIR on Aug 1, 2013 at Women Police Station Islamabad under Sections 354, 343 and 34 PPC on allegations of assault, wrongful confinement and maltreatment.

The said matter was subsequently compromised under family and social pressure after which the accused escaped penal consequences.

On the complaint of Mohammad Younas, father of the petitioner, an FIR was lodged with Police Station Nilore, Islamabad.

After a full-dressed trial, the judicial magistrate on Nov 27, 2025 convicted Naheed Ahmed for the proved hurt offences and directed payment of Diyat and Arsh to the injured petitioner. Though co-accused was acquitted, Naheed Ahmed alone was held responsible.

Feeling aggrieved, Naheed Ahmed preferred criminal appeal before additional district and sessions judge-II, East-Islamabad. After reappraisal of the evidence, the appellate court maintained the conviction on merits on Dec 11, 2025 though modified the mode of payment by allowing the amount of Diyat and Arsh to be paid in installments.

While dismissing the appeal on merits, the appellate court specifically noted that Mohammad Younas, father of the petitioner, was not an eye-witness and that his testimony was hearsay, whereas the conviction stood supported by the testimony of the injured petitioner herself, by PW-2 Saeed Ahmed and by the medical evidence.

Naheed Ahmed thereafter filed criminal revision before IHC in which the injured victim was not impleaded as respondent and was neither called before the high court nor was her statement ever recorded.

On Feb 24, 2026, the IHC recorded a statement of Mohammad Younas to the effect that the matter had been amicably resolved and that he had no objection if the revision petition was allowed on the basis of compromise.

On that basis alone, permission to compound the offences was granted, the judgements of the trial court and appellate court were set aside, and Naheed Ahmed was acquitted on compromise.

The petitioner contended that she never entered into any compromise with Naheed Ahmed and thus suffered grave miscarriage of justice due to the impugned order.

Published in Dawn, July 1st, 2026 ...