The Model Criminal Trial Court-I (1st Additional Sessions Judge), Hyderabad, on Tuesday convicted Shah Lateef alias Vishal for the brutal murder of his adopted father, Dr. Allah Bux alias Akash Ansari — a celebrated Sindhi poet, journalist, and social activist.
The verdict was announced by Judge Tasawar Rajput in Sessions Case No. 295 of 2025, arising out of FIR No. 29/2025 registered at Police Station Bhitai Nagar under sections 302, 201, 511, and 436 of the Pakistan Penal Code, read with sections 6 and 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.
Dr. Akash Ansari, born on December 25, 1956, in a village near Badin, was widely admired for his romantic Sindhi poetry and lifelong social activism. He had adopted the accused around 22 years ago. According to the prosecution, relations between the two deteriorated after Shah Lateef developed a drug addiction and was booked in 2024 for stealing a large sum of money from Dr. Akash. Following that incident, the accused reportedly began issuing threats to the deceased.
On the night of February 15, 2025, Shah Lateef allegedly stabbed Dr. Akash multiple times, killing him. In an attempt to destroy evidence, he set the body and parts of the crime scene on fire early the next morning. He also made a fake emergency call to Rescue 1122, claiming that a fire had broken out at the house. The rescue team extinguished the blaze and shifted the body to Liaquat University Hospital, where initial findings indicated foul play. FIR No. 29/2025 was subsequently lodged on February 17, 2025.
The case was initially tried by the Anti-Terrorism Court but was later transferred to the Sessions Court after it was determined that the incident did not fall within the legal definition of terrorism. A formal charge was framed at Exhibit-02, to which the accused pleaded not guilty.
During the trial, the prosecution examined 16 witnesses, including the complainant Ibrahim (PW-1), medical officers (PW-8 and PW-16), and the Investigation Officer, Inspector Tahir Khanzada (PW-14). The prosecution established motive, highlighted the recovery of the murder weapon and bloodstained clothes on the accused’s disclosure, and pointed to burn injuries on the accused’s feet, which were consistent with his attempt to set the body on fire.
In his statement under section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code, the accused denied the allegations and produced his mother, Mst. Haleema, as a defense witness. The defense argued that the case was based on circumstantial evidence, that the alleged confession was coerced, and that there was an unexplained delay in lodging the FIR. The prosecution, however, maintained that the chain of evidence was complete and unbroken.
After evaluating the evidence, the court held that the death of Dr. Akash Ansari was unnatural and that the accused had committed the murder on February 15, 2025, and attempted to destroy evidence by fire. The court convicted Shah Lateef under section 265-H(2) Cr.P.C.
The verdict has brought a measure of closure to a case that shocked literary circles and the wider Sindh community, marking a tragic end to the life of one of the region’s most respected poets.
Following the judgment, a large number of supporters of Dr. Akash Ansari, including lawyers and literary figures, gathered outside the premises of the Model Criminal Trial Court to pay homage to the deceased poet. They sang his popular poem “Yar Jaldi Milo” (“Oh Beloved, Meet Soon”) in remembrance. Many social media users also termed the day “a day of deliverance,” welcoming the court’s decision as a step toward justice.