QSO 1984 § Article 143 — Court to decide when question shall be asked and when witness compelled to answer

Statutory text (English)

If
any such question relates to a matter not relevant to the suit or proceeding, except in so far as it
affects the credit of the witness by injuring his character, the Court shall decide whether or not the
witness shall be compelled to answer it, and may, if it thinks fit, warn the witness that he is not
obliged to answer it. In exercising its discretion, the Court shall have regard to the following
considerations: —

(1) such questions are proper if they are of such a nature that the truth of the imputation
conveyed by them would seriously effect the opinion of the Court as to the credibility of the witness
on the matter to which he testifies ;

(2) such questions are improper if the imputation which they convey relates to matters so remote
in time, or of such a character, that the truth of the imputation would not affect, or would affect in
slight degree, the opinion of the Court as to the credibility of the witness on the matter to which he
testifies;

(3) such questions are improper if there is a great disproportion between the importance of the
importation made against the witness's character and the importance of his evidence;

(4) the Court may, if it sees fit, draw, from the witness's refusal to answer, the inference that the
answer if given would be unfavourable.

Source and verification

Source citation: Qanun-e-Shahadat Order, 1984 (P.O. No. X of 1984) Art. 143: Pakistan Code portal consolidated official PDF 'THE QANUN-E-SHAHADAT ORDER 1984 (LAW OF EVIDENCE)' (P.O. No. X of 1984, last amended 2017-02-16 incl. Act No. IV of 2017), p. 61, 62, ingested 2026-09-15. Automated transcription from official source (pypdf extraction, audited artifact repair); human admin re-check required before production.

Verification status: verified · Text status: auto_transcribed_verified_source

The record cites an official source, but its transcription is automated or only partly checked; a human re-check is pending.

Official Urdu text status: pending_official_urdu_text. Where official Urdu wording has not been sourced, Qanoon does not substitute an unverified translation for the statutory text.

Historical text notes

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• Date not confirmed: Consolidated current text as published in the official Pakistan Code PDF (p. 61, 62) — reflects all amendments recorded in the official footnotes up to ingest date 2026-09-15. Automated transcription; per-amendment…

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