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Atiqa Odho believes the state should provide legal aid to those who can't afford it

Atiqa Odho believes the state should provide legal aid to those who can't afford it

Odho was herself acquitted last week in a nine-year-old case in which she was accused of carrying liquor bottles in her luggage
26 Aug, 2020

Veteran actor and namesake of her own founded cosmetic brand, Atiqa Odho, was acquitted last week in a nine-year-old case in which she was accused of carrying two liquor bottles in her luggage at an airport.

Taking to social media after the decision was served, Odho opened up about the case, calling it "politically motivated," and explaining why it took so long to resolve.

A photo posted by Instagram (@instagram) on

"Lower courts are scared to serve justice when there is an order from above," Odho stated. "Every individual has the right to appeal their case from lower court to Supreme Court, but when the Supreme Court itself issues orders like these, then the lower ones start to panic."

"Still, I believe everyone should keep their hopes up high," said the Humsafar star. "Believe in your courts, your judges, your lawyers, and here I would like to add - those who are unfortunate, who don't have enough resources or money, the judiciary should be mindful of them. There should be a system where the state should help them."

Odho also opened up about her time spent circulating the courts where she witnessed the turmoil of the underprivileged, firsthand: "The state should make a system so they can afford higher court costs and get the justice they deserve," she appealed.

"People have asked me if I was difficult," Odho added. "Yes, I had to go through pain but justice was delayed, not denied. We should trust the system, go through due process, and if you haven't done anything wrong, then demand for your right - don't get scared and don't run away."

Acknowledging the slow and somewhat flawed system, the Pyar Ke Sadqay star was also vocal about prioritising cases of innocent people locked up.

"If an innocent person is locked up for years, he will never get those years of his life back. The people who are locked up and the underprivileged should always be prioritised, because if the state does not look after them, they won't have any hope."

Comments

Chrís Dăn Aug 26, 2020 12:30pm
She is right. The western law allows free legal aid for all defendents who ask for it. Eastern countries do not have this system. None of the Eastern country has free legal aid system. It is unfortunate.
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Syed A. Mateen Aug 26, 2020 12:39pm
There are number of legal aid forums working in the country and if they are approached timely by the relatives of the affected people they can come out from the problems instead of spending time on bail or in jail. The process of getting justice is very long and it takes years and years to get the justice. The delay is due to shortage of judges in the lower and high courts and fixation of the dates of hearings by the roster branch of the relevant court. If any one knows how to write English language, one can plead his or her case "in person" which also cut the lawyers fee and unnecessary delay in aurguing the case before the judges. Not every one in the country has basic legal knowledge, but if it is taught as a subject from primary school level, I am confident that after a decade people who faces wrong case would be able to read and understand language of legal notices issued to them and respond to the legal notices without the help of a lawyer which can made the life much easier.
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DR. KAKA Aug 26, 2020 01:53pm
Even if it was liquor how was same a crime
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Malik Aug 26, 2020 02:33pm
Chris, the western system is a sham also,legal aid for the poor,and it sucks
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Zak Aug 26, 2020 02:50pm
Atiqa is 100% right. 9 years case over 2 liquor bottles, ridiculous.
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Brownflower Aug 26, 2020 03:56pm
As if liquor is not consumed at all in this country. She was just targeted for being a friend of Musharraf.
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RationalBabu Aug 26, 2020 04:04pm
@DR. KAKA only the privileged and top army men are allowed to consume liquor!
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Khan Aug 26, 2020 06:56pm
@Malik No, it's not that bad....
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struggle Aug 26, 2020 07:11pm
Do help out unfortunate folks of Pakistan who get humiliated in police stations, and court of law everyday. Put up their everyday pains in a drama series so that it reaches to people by way of entertainment. Write a book about your experience. Constitute law firm with your resources that could assist underprivileged masses, but people would observe nothing will come out..
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wasim Aug 26, 2020 07:27pm
If acquitted, then who framed her, how & why ?
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asim Aug 26, 2020 07:28pm
Justice delayed is, in fact a justice denied! She had resources and reach to get it. Imagine a an average Joe who might have been languishing inside the jail during this.
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Irshaad New York Aug 26, 2020 08:20pm
How can our nation, our Pakistan, Ever prosper, when cases like this are consuming our justice system ? Justice delayed, is Justice Denied. Irrespective of the merits of this particular case, it should have been disposed off within 30 days. In the US, even drug cases, much more serious, are disposed off within 2 months, at the latest.
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Naeemullah Aug 26, 2020 08:24pm
The trial of trial should be made a practice. The punishment should be in multiple of 10 times for wrong judgement to the judges and prosecutors. Otherwise, this will never end.
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struggle Aug 26, 2020 09:31pm
Do help out unfortunate folks of Pakistan who get humiliated in police stations, and court of law everyday. Put up their everyday pains in a drama series so that it reaches to people by way of entertainment. Write a book about your experience. Constitute law firm with your resources that could assist underprivileged masses, but people would observe nothing will come out..
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independentthinker Aug 26, 2020 11:24pm
@Chrís Dăn It's a myth that western countries allow free legal aid to all defendants who ask for it! It's only a few who qualify and the lawyers that are assigned, are third rated! I would rather defend myself than to hire one of these legal aid lawyers. Next, you are only allowed limited budget - if the case goes on for long and the money runs out, you could either plead guilty or represent yourself. The only thing going in your favour in western countries is that there are not too many bogus charges laid against you, so chances of you getting involved with the law are rare.
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Bhaijan Aug 26, 2020 11:56pm
@wasim PML(N) framed the case, because she is a Gen(R) Pervez Musharraf supporter.
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Chrís Dăn Aug 27, 2020 12:10am
@wasim elite have many complications.
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Chrís Dăn Aug 27, 2020 12:12am
@independentthinker I tend to differ. Free legal aid to all those defendents who ask it, is provided .
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RationalBabu Aug 27, 2020 01:24am
@independentthinker not quite true, Legal Aid lawyers are not assigned in UK. You can pick any lawyer willing to represent you. Also if you have a strongcase they will represent you on a no win no fee basis!
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Amjad Durrani Engineer USA Aug 27, 2020 07:25am
Good news because at least one out of those 2 million cases as backlog, has finally seen the light of the day. Let us hope that other such cases pending in the lower court are also decided in the near future too.
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Aamir Alvi Aug 27, 2020 08:11am
Cheers Atiqa!!!!
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Hamid Shafiq Aug 27, 2020 08:12am
If she is innocent then who is responsible for this waste of public fundings and tax money someone should be responsible?
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Ukasha Rajpoot Aug 27, 2020 08:26am
Asif Ali Zardari killed PPP
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AZAM AKBAR Aug 29, 2020 09:17pm
Heartiest Congratulations to you Ms. Atiqa Odho.
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Illawarrior Sep 01, 2020 06:18am
Innocent or guilty, this case should have been resolved within weeks!
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