What happened
According to Dawn, the Supreme Court of Pakistan has ruled that a suspect should not be deprived of bail whenever reasonable doubt arises regarding their participation in a crime or the validity of the prosecution's case. A three-member bench headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar issued the ruling in a five-page order regarding a criminal appeal filed by petitioner Muhammad Akbar.
The case was originally registered at Quetta’s New Sariab Police Station over the alleged transportation of expired drugs under the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and the Drugs Act 1976. After a two-judge Supreme Court bench granted Akbar bail in April on a Rs100,000 bond, the prosecution altered the First Information Report (FIR). They deleted the drug act provisions and inserted charges related to major financial crimes and corruption, which carry penalties ranging up to life imprisonment.
Key facts
- Petitioner: Muhammad Akbar, who was kept behind bars despite previously receiving court bail.
- Prosecution conduct: State counsel Baqir Shah and Investigating Officer Muhammad Ajmal failed to explain why the modified FIR was not disclosed during the April bail hearing or why drug-related sections were removed.
- Court findings: Justice Mazhar stated that the prosecution acted unfairly, engaged in "hide and seek," and may have added new charges solely to deprive the suspect of bail.
- Ruling: The Supreme Court extended Akbar's bail under the same terms, declaring that the prosecution's changing stances made the matter a case of further inquiry.
- Final trial verdict: Not specified in the source; please check the official notice.
Why it matters
According to Dawn, the judgment underscores fundamental principles regarding pre-trial detention and prosecutorial fairness. Justice Mazhar observed that criminal trials are meant to hold suspects accountable through legal proceedings, not to punish them by letting them rot in prison before a verdict is reached.
The court affirmed that while new offenses can be added to a case based on genuine investigative findings, changes cannot be made on the mere whims of the prosecution. The ruling reinforces that in instances of doubt, maintaining a suspect's bail during trial is preferable to detention.
Source: Dawn - Home · Published October 21, 2026 · Photo by Tien Vu Ngoc on Unsplash