SC rejects bail of pregnant women in heroin smuggling case

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court(SC) on Tuesday rejected the bail plea of a pregnant woman accused of smuggling heroin to Saudi Arabia.

A two-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, was hearing the bail application.

During the hearing, the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) prosecutor informed the court that 167 grams of heroin were recovered from the accused.

It was revealed that the heroin-filled capsules were found inside the woman’s stomach. The prosecutor further stated that the accused had previously filed a bail application in the High Court but later withdrew it.

Justice Sardar Tariq Masood questioned, “How can a point that was not raised in the High Court be brought up in the Supreme Court?” He added that if the High Court had decided the matter on merit, the Supreme Court could have intervened. He advised the accused to approach the High Court again on this new ground.

The court was also informed that the woman was arrested at Islamabad Airport while traveling to Saudi Arabia with her husband.

On the other hand, in an effort to improve service delivery and expand access to justice, the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Yahya Afridi conducted an interactive session with the heads of various sections of the Supreme Court at the Supreme Court.

The session was attended by Registrar, SCP, Muhammad Salim Khan, development expert Mr. Sher Shah, DG Federal Judicial Academy Mr. Hayat Ali Shah and Secretary, Law and Justice Commission (LJCP) Syeda Tanzeela Sabahat.

During the session, Chief Justice Afridi reviewed the ongoing reforms, emphasizing the digitalization of court processes, enhanced accessibility, streamlined procedures, accountability, and increased transparency in judicial operations. He noted that the reforms aim not only to reduce case pendency but also to ensure that litigants receive timely and effective justice. He stressed that litigants, as the core stakeholders of the justice system, deserve the utmost respect, reinforcing the institution’s commitment to justice and its positive public image.

The session highlighted significant milestones achieved to date, including the successful implementation of the E-Filing system. In addition, the IT Directorate presented progress updates on the integration of digital technologies and the establishment of mechanisms designed to further enhance the accessibility and transparency of the judicial process.

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