Lahore High Court Acquits Client in Major Narcotics Case 

24 January 2026

Our firm, represented by Barrister Haider Ali Najafi, successfully represented Munir Ahmad before the Divisional Bench of Lahore High Court, securing his acquittal from a narcotics conviction in a landmark appeal decided on 11 December 2025.​

Munir Ahmad stood accused under Section 9(1)(c) of the Control of Narcotic Substances Act, 1997, over the alleged recovery of 1,400 grams of charas during a police patrol. The Additional Sessions Judge/Special Judge CNSA, Pakpattan, convicted him on 22 November 2023, imposing 4 years 6 months rigorous imprisonment and a Rs. 20,000 fine.​

The defense appealed to the Lahore High Court, where Justice Farooq Haider and Justice Muhammad Tariq Nadeem meticulously scrutinized the prosecution's evidence.

Critical Flaws in Prosecution Case

Prosecutors failed to prove the chain of custody. A police witness testified to handing 1,330 grams of charas (remaining property) to the Investigating Officer to deposit at Saddar Malkhana that day. Yet, the Investigating Officer contradicted this in cross-examination, admitting receipt on 7 August but deposit on 8 August, despite the half-kilometer distance, claiming the Malkhana in-charge was unavailable.​

Section 342 Cr.P.C. Breaches 

Worse, the trial court omitted key evidence from the witness in the Section 342 Cr.P.C. statement: handovers of sample (70 grams for PFSA) and remaining property between complainant, investigating officer, and moharir; PFSA dispatch details. Supreme Court precedents bar such unconfronted evidence against an accused - Obaidullah vs. State (2025 SCMR 1558); Haji Nawaz vs. State (2020 SCMR 687).​

CNSA demands "evidence of high standard," yet contradictions and procedural lapses created reasonable doubt. Cited rulings were Asif Ali vs. State (2024 SCMR 1408) and Farman Ali vs. State (2025 SCMR 1730), which resulted in acquittal.​

Victory and Release

The LHC allowed the appeal, set aside the conviction, acquitted Munir Ahmad, and ordered his immediate release. ​

This win underscores defense vigilance on custody chains and Section 342 compliance in narcotics trials. With years of advocating in Pakistan's courts, our firm is available to get the justice you deserve.

Contact us for expert defense in CNSA and criminal appeals.