Qanun-e-Shahadat Order, 1984 — Section 17: Competence and number of witnesses

17. Competence and number of witnesses. — (1) The competence of a person to testify, and the number of witnesses required in any case shall be determined in accordance with the injunctions of Islam as laid down in the Holy Quran and Sunnah.

(2)Unless otherwise provided in any law relating to the enforcement of Hudood or any other special law,

(a)in matters pertaining to financial or future obligations, if reduced to writing, the instrument shall be attested by two men, or one man and two women, so that one may remind the other, if necessary, and evidence shall be led accordingly ; and

(b)in all other matters, the Court may accept, or act on, the testimony of one man or one woman or such other evidence as the circumstances of the case may warrant.

(b)A is accused of waging war against Pakistan by taking part in an armed insurrection in which property is destroyed, troops are attacked, and gaols are broken open. The occurrence of these facts is relevant, as forming part of the general transaction, though A may not have been present at all of them.

(c)A sues B for a libel contained in a letter forming part of a correspondence. Letters between the parties relating to the subject out of which the libel arose, and forming part of the correspondence in which it is contained, are relevant facts, though they do not contain the libel itself.

(d)The question is, whether certain goods ordered from B were delivered to A. The goods were delivered to several Intermediate persons successively. Each delivery is a relevant fact.