In Okara, a sessions court handed down a sentence of 80 lashes to Muhammad Boota on Friday for falsely accusing his ex-wife of adultery and denying that he was the father of their daughter. Additional District and Sessions Judge Rana Khalil Ahmad Khan found Boota guilty of qazf, the offence of making false accusations of adultery, under Sharia law.
The court proceedings revealed that Boota was unable to substantiate his claims against his former spouse. After examining the evidence and hearing arguments, the judge imposed the Hadd punishment of 80 lashes, as prescribed for qazf offences. Initially, Boota had accused his wife of immoral behavior and declared their daughter illegitimate. However, during the trial, he withdrew these allegations and accepted the child’s legitimacy.
The case was initiated by the woman under the Hudood Ordinances, which mandate 80 lashes for anyone proven to have made false adultery accusations. The court’s verdict underscored that baseless and serious allegations against a chaste woman constitute both a legal and religious violation, necessitating stringent penalties.
Meanwhile, in a related development, the Lahore High Court (LHC) ordered the freezing of bank accounts belonging to former Superintendent of Police (SP) Junaid Arshad for failing to provide maintenance payments to his ex-wife and their children. The court acted on a petition filed by Ayesha Subhani, who claimed that her former husband had neglected his financial obligations for several months.
After reviewing the petition, the LHC directed authorities to freeze the ex-SP’s bank accounts and requested a detailed report on his financial status by April 20. This move aims to enforce compliance with maintenance responsibilities for the welfare of the children involved.
