Scope and Admissibility of Circumstantial Evidence in Criminal Cases in Pakistan
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In a legal system, the courts have to rely on evidence for the dispensation of justice. The evidence may be either testimony of eyewitnesses or confession of the accused or other indirect evidence also known as circumstantial evidence. Circumstantial evidence holds greater significance in the dispensation of justice as many cases do not have enough direct evidence to prove the guilt of the accused. The court has to depend on circumstantial evidence because it establishes linkages between various events connecting the accused to the commission of crime. The principle of circumstantial evidence is that the circumstances presented should be capable of explaining the guilt of the accused only, while simultaneously ruling out any other hypothesis regarding their innocence. This research paper aims to explore the scope and importance of circumstantial evidence in criminal cases in Pakistan, considering the decisions of the higher courts of Pakistan. The study also examines the principles of the apex courts of Pakistan and other jurisdictions regarding circumstantial evidence, and the reliability of this evidence for the purpose of conviction.
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