LAHORE: Shah Hussain, who was convicted and sentenced for stabbing law student Khadija Siddiqui 23 times, was released early because of ‘technical remissions’, Punjab Minister for Prisons and Colonies Fayyazul Hassan Chohan said on Tuesday.
In a video statement, Provincial Minister Fayyaz Chohan stressed that Hussain did not receive any relief in the form of legal remission from any official such as the president, the prime minister or the chief minister.
پنجاب حکومت، آئی جی جیل خانہ جات اور محکمہ داخلہ پنجاب کے خلاف چلائی گئی غلط میڈیا کمپین کا ڈراپ سین۔۔۔!!!! pic.twitter.com/Hofxtsn9kG
— Fayaz ul Hassan Chohan (@Fayazchohanpti) July 27, 2021
“He was released on technical remissions which are granted for annual good character, blood donation, and education,” the minister said, adding that the details of the release had been released.
The minister said that Hussain received the remissions as per the law and the Constitution. Hussain deposited Rs0.3 million on the jail’s gate as well, a notification issued by the Punjab Central Jail stated. The total remissions earned by Hussain were one year, five months, and 23 days.
The Punjab government’s response comes after civil society — already enraged over a spate of violent incidents against women — questioned how authorities could allow Hussain’s early release.
In 2018, Hussain, the son of a senior lawyer of the Lahore High Court, was sentenced to five years after being found guilty in the case. However, it came to light last week that he managed to secure an early release and served only three and a half years.
According to a notification of the superintendent of Central Jail, he had been released on July 17. The development in the case led to an uproar on social media and multiple activists and lawyers questioned the Punjab government.
Siddiqui, the victim, took to Twitter on Monday, asking why she was not informed of the development and held Chauhan “responsible for allowing early release of my attacker”.
I waited, waited and waited for them to reach out! Zero response.
I want answers from IG jail and Minister for prisons, @Fayazchohanpti
Your silence reeks of complicity
You are responsible for allowing early release of my attacker!
— khadija siddiqi (@khadijasid751) July 26, 2021
‘The Case’
A judicial magistrate had on July 29, 2017, sentenced Hussain to seven-year imprisonment under Section 324 (attempted murder) of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), two years under Section 337A(i) (causing injuries), five years under Section 337A(ii), one year under Section 337F(i), three years under Section 337F(ii) and five years under Section 337F(iv).
Hussain, the son of a senior LHC lawyer, then appealed against his conviction in the high court and was acquitted in June 2018.
The LHC had on June 4, 2018 acquitted Hussain giving him the benefit of the doubt. The court had observed that the prosecution had failed to establish its case and the courts could not solely rely upon the statement of the injured witness/victim.
