Shanzay Malik, daughter of Supreme Court Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmed Khan, was acquitted by a local Islamabad court in a high-profile hit-and-run case involving the death of two individuals. Judicial Magistrate Adnan Yousuf delivered the verdict after considering the acquittal application submitted by Malik’s legal team.
The case stemmed from an incident where two waiters from Savor Foods were fatally struck, leading to allegations against Malik. Despite the serious charges, her lawyer, Advocate Siddique Awan, successfully argued that the prosecution’s case was weak, lacking substantial evidence and relying heavily on delayed and secondary facts.
Awan highlighted several procedural shortcomings in the police investigation, including an 11-day delay in case registration and the absence of conclusive video evidence linking Malik to the incident. Additionally, the initial charge under Section 322 of the Pakistan Penal Code, which addresses causing death by rash or negligent driving, was downgraded to Section 320, indicating death caused without intent—a bailable offence.
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Conversely, the plaintiff’s counsel, Tufail Shahzad Advocate, presented arguments citing video evidence and a forensic report that purportedly identified Malik as the driver. However, these were not deemed sufficient to uphold the charges.
The case has seen numerous developments, including Malik receiving pre-arrest bail after evading arrest for over two years and substantial debates over the legal sections applied. Despite the plaintiff’s allegations of threats and witness identification of Malik, the court ultimately ruled in her favour.
