CHITRAL: The Northern Citizen Community Board (NCCB) has announced to file a writ petition before the Peshawar High Court, Swat Bench, to seek reopening of the murder case of an 11-year-old boy to ensure justice and accountability.
It may be mentioned that the District and Sessions Court, Upper Chitral, held that 11-year-old Shiraz Ahmad was strangled to death.
The court concluded that the killing was carried out with intent and possibly motivated by a family property dispute.
In its judgment dated May 20, 2025, the court noted that the child, who went missing on February 25 and was found dead the following day, had been murdered “knowingly and with full intention.”
Police formally charged the accused, the victim’s stepbrother, under Section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) read with 36-CPA for intentional homicide.
The court record showed that although the child’s parents later forgave the accused and withdrew their complaint, however, the Northern Citizen Community Board expressed concern over the case.
Terming the incident a “grave and heartbreaking human tragedy,” the organisation said the alleged offence raised questions about international human rights obligations and global child protection standards.
The NCCB maintained that crimes against children were “unforgivable and unacceptable,” and argued that compromise in such cases undermined the rule of law.
“This is not a matter of personal interest,” the organisation stated. “It concerns the law of the state, international human rights, child protection, and the safety of future generations. Any compromise or legal weakness in cases of this nature is unacceptable, and the demands of justice must be met in full,” the association said.
