Lahore Court Reserves Verdict on Adding Teen Driver’s Friends to DHA Crash Trial
LAHORE, PAKISTAN — WEB DESK: A Lahore anti-terrorism court on Saturday reserved its decision on a petition seeking to summon friends of teenage defendant Afnan Shafqat as additional accused in the high-profile DHA road crash case in which six members of the same family were killed in 2023.
Anti-Terrorism Court Judge Shahid Sikandar heard arguments from the parties before reserving the decision, which is scheduled to be announced on September 1, according to the latest court report.
The application was filed by complainant Rafaqat Ali, who has asked the court to summon Afnan’s friends for trial.
Ali maintains that the friends were travelling with Afnan at the time of the incident and should also face proceedings in connection with the case. The parties completed their arguments on the application during Saturday’s hearing.
Afnan and his father, Shafqat Ali, were also present before the court.
Court to Rule on September 1
The latest proceedings do not constitute a verdict in the main criminal trial.
The decision reserved by the court concerns the complainant’s specific application seeking the summoning of additional defendants. Judge Sikandar is expected to announce his ruling on that application on September 1.
That distinction is important because the original Urdu headline could be interpreted as suggesting that the court had reserved its final judgment over the deaths themselves.
The main case remains under trial.
Six Members of One Family Killed
The case dates back to November 12, 2023, when a vehicle allegedly driven by Afnan collided with another car in DHA Phase VII, Lahore.
Six members of Rafaqat Ali’s family were killed.
Contemporary police reporting identified the victims as Rukhsana Bibi, Husnain, Ayesha, Sajjad, four-month-old Huzaifa and four-year-old Anaya.
Rafaqat Ali was travelling with other relatives in a separate vehicle when the collision occurred.
According to his original police complaint, the family was returning home after visiting relatives when the other vehicle struck the car carrying the six victims. The impact caused their vehicle to overturn multiple times.
Police arrested Afnan following the crash.
Police Investigation Named Friends
The involvement of Afnan’s friends has been an issue in the investigation for some time.
A police challan filed in 2024 named Afnan, his father Shafqat Ali and friends Ali Abdullah, Muhammad Saad and Muhammad Ibrahim in connection with multiple alleged offences.
According to the investigation report, police alleged that Afnan and his friends had harassed female passengers before the fatal collision.
Those claims are prosecution allegations and have not been established by a final court judgment.
Shafqat Ali, a property dealer, was separately accused of allowing his underage son to drive illegally.
Afnan Was 17, Investigation Said
The police investigation reported that Afnan was 17 years and 27 days old on the date of the crash, based on his birth certificate. Investigators had also sought an ossification test as part of efforts to determine his age.
His age has been significant because he has repeatedly been described in court proceedings as an underage or juvenile defendant.
The Lahore High Court granted Afnan post-arrest bail in September 2024 after hearing arguments from his counsel and the prosecution.
Granting bail did not amount to an acquittal or determination of guilt.
Terrorism Charges Remain Part of Case
The case has also generated a prolonged legal dispute over the application of Pakistan’s anti-terrorism law.
Police added murder and terrorism provisions to the case following the crash.
Afnan and other defendants later sought removal of the terrorism charges and transfer of the proceedings to an ordinary sessions court.
In February 2025, an anti-terrorism court dismissed the application seeking deletion of the terrorism provisions, allowing proceedings to continue before the ATC.
The continued application of terrorism provisions should not be interpreted as proof that the defendants committed terrorism. It means those charges remain part of the prosecution case and are being adjudicated by the court.
Afnan and Father Indicted in 2025
The trial advanced further in July 2025 when an anti-terrorism court formally indicted Afnan and his father Shafqat.
Both pleaded not guilty and chose to contest the charges.
An indictment is a formal framing of charges and does not establish guilt.
In April 2026, Judge Shahid Sikandar issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Afnan and his father after they failed to appear in trial proceedings. The court also cancelled bail bonds previously submitted by the defendants.
Saturday’s proceedings show that the case remains active nearly three years after the crash.
Latest Question Is Who Else Should Face Trial
The immediate legal question before the court is narrower than the broader criminal case.
Rafaqat Ali wants Afnan’s friends formally summoned to face trial, arguing that they were accompanying him when the incident occurred.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the court reserved its decision.
Until Judge Sikandar delivers his ruling on September 1, it would be premature to state that the friends have been newly added as defendants through Saturday’s application.
