An additional district and sessions court in Okara has convicted a man and awarded him 80 lashes after finding him guilty of making false allegations of adultery against his former wife under the Qazf law.
The verdict was announced by Additional District and Sessions Judge Rana Khalil Ahmad Khan, who ruled that the accused, Muhammad Boota, had wrongly accused his ex-wife of zina, alleging she had relations with strangers and that a child born to her was illegitimate.
The woman had initially approached a local magistrate with a Qazf complaint, however, her plea was dismissed at the preliminary stage.
She later challenged the decision before the Federal Shariat Court through her counsel Nayyar Iqbal Lakhvi. The court, led by Chief Justice Iqbal Hameedur Rehman, overturned the earlier ruling and ordered the trial court to proceed with the case in accordance with the law.
Following the Shariat Court’s directive, charges were formally framed against Muhammad Boota and the matter was sent to the additional district and sessions court for trial.
After completing proceedings, the court concluded that the allegations against the accused had been proven beyond reasonable doubt and convicted him under Section 7 of the Offence of Qazf (Enforcement of Hadd) Ordinance, 1979. He was sentenced to 80 lashes as Hadd punishment.
After the ruling was announced, Boota fled the courtroom.
The court then issued perpetual non-bailable arrest warrants and directed the Okara District Police Officer to arrest him. Copies of the judgment were also forwarded to the district jail superintendent and the prosecution department.
