The country has seen a fair share of cases where power and money have infiltrated into the justice system, especially when one party is influential and connected, while the other is a person from the working class. A similar case, which has caused numerous debates countrywide, has also caused an outcry from the general public about the exploitation of law.
A heart-wrenching scenario unfolded on Karsaaz Road of Karachi on Augustc 19, when Natasha Danish Iqbal, driving a Land Cruiser, hit a motorcycle and pedestrians on the road, two of whom tragically passed away, and about five more people were injured.
As the Karsaz case unfolds, we must address these systematic issues urgently. The lessons from previous cases should drive us to advocate for political and legal reforms that ensure justice in a timely manner and the supremacy of law over everyone. At the end of the day, a successful system is the one that holds everyone accountable, regardless of how many connections they have or how influential they are. We must ensure that justice is not an ideal but a reality for each and every member of the country
Natasha was arrested on the charges of manslaughter. The charges of culpable homicide were to be made in this case.
However, she has avoided court appearances claiming that she was getting her psychological issues treated at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre. Dr. Lal, the head of the psychiatry department at JPMC stated that the woman did not require psychological assistance.
A seven-day physical remand was sought by the Investigation Officer. The IO stated that Section-322, punishment for qatl-bis-sabab, is a non-bailable offence. Before this, the court had ordered a one-day physical remand of the accused.
The driver, Natasha, is from an influential family, and was reportedly under the influence of crystal meth, although the toxicology reports have not been made public. How the accused tried to flee the scene highlights an important detail in the case, it tells us all we need to know about the influence of power and money in the system. The hierarchy can be very clearly seen between someone from an influential family and a paapar seller.
As we have seen in countless cases before, abuse of power in such cases has impacts that go far beyond the immediate loss of life. The whole community, as a result, is shaken and it also brings to light our road safety measures and justice in these cases. It highlights all the steps imperative for change, including holding people responsible.
The case has a striking resemblance with the Noor Mukaddam Case in 2021, in which the country saw how the accused Zahir Jaffer manipulated the legal system in order to tip the scales in his favour. There are uncanny resemblances in the two cases, and a troubling pattern can be seen. The nation can see the exploitation of legal loopholes by the powerful, and the delayed response of the justice system in holding the perpetrators accountable.
The analogy is very clear to be seen. As Noor Mukaddam’s tragic death exposed the deep-rooted issues in our judicial system, the death of Imran and Amna highlights similar failings in solving the issues of reckless driving and ensuring early and timely justice. Both of these cases highlight how the victims in similar situations can become insignificant, while criminals seek all possible ways to escape the consequences of their deadly actions.
Moreover, as we saw in 2012 in the unresolved case of Shahzeb Khan, the influential and connected criminals are almost always acquitted, with loopholes from the justice system that the common man barely understands. Justice is delayed in most cases, even in those of brutal murders, and a grave miscarriage of justice is done.
If one takes a look at most high-profile cases in the country throughout the recent decades, we can understand how power and privilege almost always influences the legal outcomes of criminal cases. More than half of the cases have not seen timely justice for their victims, as the perpetrators do anything and everything in their power to exploit the laws.
As the Karsaz case unfolds, we must address these systematic issues urgently. The lessons from previous cases should drive us to advocate for political and legal reforms that ensure justice in a timely manner and the supremacy of law over everyone. At the end of the day, a successful system is the one that holds everyone accountable, regardless of how many connections they have or how influential they are. We must ensure that justice is not an ideal but a reality for each and every member of the country.
