IHC Judge’s Son in Custody After Fatal Islamabad Crash
Teenager faces police investigation over car accident that killed two women near PNCA.
The son of Justice Mohammed Asif from the Islamabad High Court was placed in police custody on Tuesday following a car accident that claimed the lives of two young women. The tragic incident occurred late Monday night near the Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA) in Islamabad, when the victims, riding a scooter, were struck by a speeding SUV driven by the judge’s son.
Judicial magistrate Shaista Khan Kundi issued the remand order after police requested custody to complete the investigation. According to the First Information Report (FIR) filed at the Secretariat Police Station, the two women died instantly, and the SUV fled the scene. Authorities later traced the vehicle using its registration number and located the suspect at a private hospital where he had sought medical treatment. He was subsequently taken into custody, and forensic samples were collected. The vehicle was also impounded for further inspection.
The suspect faces charges under sections 279 (rash driving), 322 (manslaughter), and 427 (mischief causing damage) of the Pakistan Penal Code. Police told the court that continued custody was necessary to verify medical reports, examine the vehicle, and interview witnesses. The court granted physical remand for the ongoing investigation. The victims’ bodies were sent to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences for autopsies, while authorities are reviewing CCTV footage to determine whether speeding or negligence contributed to the crash.
Police have assured the families of the deceased that the case will be investigated thoroughly and fairly. The incident has drawn comparisons to a 2022 case in which an SUV allegedly driven by the daughter of a Lahore High Court judge caused a fatal accident. That investigation, which involved the deaths of Shakeel Tanoli and Hasnain Ali near the Sohan Bridge, Islamabad Expressway, reportedly stalled, and the accused, Shanzay Malik, was acquitted earlier this year despite the vehicle belonging to a Supreme Court judge.
This recent case has reignited public debate over accountability and the handling of incidents involving children of high-ranking judicial officials, with authorities promising transparency and due process in the ongoing investigation.
