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

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.

"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."