KARACHI: A local court referred on Tuesday the Nazim Jokhio murder case to the anti-terrorism court (ATC) for the initiation of a trial against two PPP lawmakers and their servants nominated in the case challan under the anti-terror law.
Nazim, 27, was found tortured to death at PPP MPA Jam Awais’ farmhouse in the outskirts of Karachi’s Malir on November 3 last year.
His relatives have accused Awais, his brother, PPP MNA Jam Abdul Karim, and their henchmen of torturing Nazim to death for resisting houbara bustard hunting by the lawmakers’ Arab guests and filming them while hunting in the victim’s village on the outskirts of Malir.
In the final charge sheet submitted to the court under section 173 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) last month, investigating officer (IO) Inspector Siraj Lashari had nominated nine suspects.
Five of the nominated suspects, namely MPA Jam Awais, Hyder Ali, Meer Ali, Muhammad Mairaj and Jamal Ahmed alias Jamal Wahid are in detention and the remaining four suspects, MNA Jam Abdul Karim, Niaz Salar, Atta Muhammad and Zahid have been declared absconders.
The IO has nominated them under charges of committing premeditated murder, attempting to destroy the evidence and intimidating the victim’s.
Earlier, Leader of the Opposition in Sindh Assembly, Haleem Adil Sheikh, pointed out exercise of political influence and deliberate attempts for obstructing justice in Nazim Jokhio murder case and sought intervention by the Chief Secretary Sindh for the cause of justice to victim family.
Haleem Adil Sheikh in a letter urged Chief Secretary Sindh to immediately direct law department for taking urgent steps for submission of final challan under section 173 of Criminal Procedure Code after go ahead from District Public Prosecutor Malir and indictment of real culprits in light of JIT report so that perpetrators of the horrific crime could be brought to justice.
Nazimuddin alias Nazim S/o Sajjawal Jokhio was found dead at the farmhouse of PPP MPA Jam Awais and his brother, MNA Jam Abdul Karim on November 2, 2021 and victim’s family accused the MPA Jam Awais, MNA Jam Abdul Kareem and his guards of torturing him to death for resisting houbara bustard hunting by the lawmakers’ foreigner guests in Achar Salaar village in Malir district. Later FIR NO. 457/2021 was registered at P.S Memon Goth Karachi under Section 302, 201,34,35,506/2 PPC on November 3.
Haleem Adil stated in the letter that coercing the local communities was the motive behind the murder so that in future no one in Malir district dare to raise voice against any unlawful act committed by the suspects.
The accused – in the case of brutal murder of Nazim Jokhio- wanted to create fear and terror among local communities and set an example of dire consequences for raising a voice against them, the letter outlined.
He noted that report of Sindh government’s JIT headed by Tanvir Alam Odho was not considered for finalizing the final challan and it was suspected that prosecution department wanted that interim challan be taken as final.
Haleem Adil Sheikh accused District Public Prosecutor Malir of trying to extend illegal favour to criminals in the case by not furbishing final legal view of already submitted final challan on January 8, 2022, by Police Investigating Officer Siraj Lashari despite of repeated directives of the trial court for submission of the same.
Political pressure by Sindh Government on DPP Malir and ill intentions of Prosecution department that falls under provincial law department were evident from the deliberate delay, he maintained adding that Sindh government wanted to save influential accused in the matter and DPP Malir under political pressure is not giving legal opinion and not signaling Investigation officer to go ahead.
The only conceivable reason behind the delaying tactics is that the court should treat interim challan as the final which was incomplete, lacked findings of Investigation Officer and does not fix responsibility of crime to anyone, he asserted.
The leader of the opposition also raised question on impartiality of Prosecutor in the Nazim Jokhio case saying that prosecutor was considered as the agent of the state representing in a non partisan manner interest of state and common people in the criminal justice system thus enabling the court to decide the case.
The copies of the letter were also sent to Chief Justice of Sindh High Court, Federal Minister of Human Rights, Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights, Sindh Secretary Law, The Inspector General of Police Sindh, Chairman Human Rights Commission Supreme Court Pakistan for information and necessary action in the regard.
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