Pending justice.

THERE is widespread disbelief in the country over an antiterrorism court's verdict in January's shootout case in Sahiwal. The government has decided to challenge the ruling which acquitted all six CTD officials in the killing of four people.

While not a unique occurrence, no less than 27 of prosecution witnesses turned hostile, allowing the accused relief. These witnesses were originally there to help prove the guilt of the accused police officials in the killing of Muhammad Khalil, his wife Nabila, their teenage daughter and Zeeshan, a friend of Khalil's who was driving the car.

The Lahore-based family was on its way to a wedding when it came under a hail of bullets. In the absence of any witnesses testifying against the accused, the ATC judge dismissed the possibility of supportive evidence reinforcing the prosecution's case. This included the footage showing images of the car in which the victims were travelling along with three minor children who survived the attack. The footage led to outrage across the country.

This was considered an open-and-shut case of an overzealous police force going mad with their chase after a wrong tip-off. Even the prime minister and members of his cabinet promised exemplary punishment for those responsible.

However, there were also sceptics who warned that the proceedings in court could...