ISLAMABAD: A local court of Islamabad on Tuesday acquitted Shanzay Malik, the daughter of the Supreme Court judge Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmed Khan, in a high-profile hit-and-run case.

The verdict was announced by Judicial Magistrate Adnan Yousuf, who accepted the acquittal application filed by Malik’s legal team.

Shanzay Malik was accused of fatally hitting two waiters of Savor Foods, a private food outlet, which led to registration of a case against her at the Khanna police station. After hearing arguments from both sides, the court had reserved its decision before ultimately ruling in Ms Malik’s favour.

Advocate Siddique Awan, counsel for Ms Malik, argued before the court that police could not produce any substantial evidence as the entire story of prosecution was based on secondary facts.

He argued that the case was registered 11 days after the accident, and the police could not give any explanation for the delay. He contended that the police could not produce any video evidence, and the photos submitted in the court did not clearly identify his client.

He also pointed out that Shanzay Malik was nominated only after the plaintiff’s delayed statement in July 2024.

Earlier reports indicated that Ms Malik had been granted pre-arrest bail after being on the run for more than two years.

Legal proceedings saw the deletion of Section 322 of the Pakistan Penal Code (causing death by rash or negligent driving), which is a non-bailable offence, and replacing it with Section 320 (causing death without intent), a bailable offence.

Civil Judge Adnan Yousuf on Monday took up the acquittal petition of Shanzay Malik, booked in a road accident case in which two persons died.

On the other hand, the plaintiff’s lawyer, Tufail Shahzad Advocate, argued that video evidence clearly identified the accused, Shanzay Malik, and that a forensic report confirmed a woman was driving the vehicle.

The plaintiff, Rafaqat Ali, also alleged he faced threats and that two witnesses had identified Shanzay Malik, and they had recorded their statements which were on record.

In 2022, a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) allegedly driven by the daughter of the Lahore High Court judge ran over two persons who worked at Savour Foods near the Sohan bridge on the Expressway at midnight and the investigation into the case had remained stalled.

As per the details available in the judicial record, on June 8, Shakeel Tanoli and his colleague Hasnain Ali were going home at midnight when they were hit by an SUV allegedly driven by a woman.

According to the details, the woman fled, leaving behind the vehicle. The police took the vehicle into custody which was later given to an official of the Lahore High Court on ‘superdari’ in July 2024 upon assurance that ‘he shall produce the vehicle in the court as and when required’.

In July 2024, Inspector General of Islamabad Police Ali Nasir Rizvi informed the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that the luxury vehicle of the Lahore High Court (LHC) involved in hit and run case in which two persons were killed was driven by a woman and was in the use of Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmed, who has recently been elevated to the Supreme Court.

Published in Dawn, February 26th, 2025