Nazim Jokhio murder: JIT declares MPs Ghuhram, Karim as prime accused, says sources

KARACHI: The Joint Investigation Team (JIT) formed to probe the murder of Malir's social activist Nazim Jokhio, declared the two legislator brothers MPA Jam Owais Ghuhram and MNA Jam Abdul Karim as the prime accused of murder and recommended to the court to major punishment for them, a JIT member informed The News on the condition of anonymity.

Nazim Jokhio Nazim was tortured to death at a farmhouse of PPP MNA Jam Abdul Karim and his brother MPA Jam Awais on November 3, 2021. The victim’s family accused both the brothers and their henchmen of torturing him to death for resisting the hunting of the near extinct species of houbara bustard of by the lawmaker’s Arab guests in Nazim’s Achar Salaar village in Malir district, Karachi.

The FIR registered at the Memon Goth Police Station, Malir hominated nine persons as accused including both the brothers MNA Jam Kareem and MPA Jam Awais Ghuhram. Of these, MPA Ghuhram along with Saleem Sallar Jokhio, Jamal Wahid Jokhio and two guards are in police custody, while the remaining accused are on interim bail.

According to the sources, the report added that when Nazim Jokhio was taken away from home in a SUV, MNA Jam Abdul Karim slapped Nazim Jokhio following an angry exchange, forcibly snatched his mobile phone and deleted the video in which a foreigner hunter was seen with a houbara bustard. At that time Nazim Jokhio's brother Afzal Jokhio was also present. MNA Jam Abdul Kareem, JIT report added ordered him to be detained overnight at farmhouse and his fate would be decided next morning. But later that night his younger brother MPA Jam Ghuhram returned with his guards, all of whom were drunk, and bludgeoned Nazim Jokhio to death, the source said.

Local Police were informed about the incident and Nazim Jokhio rushed to the hospital in the morning but he succumbed to death, the source quoted from the JIT. As the panic set in the local influentials tried for a settlement with the heirs of deceased Nazim Jokhio but by the time the issue had hit the social media platforms. The JIT contacted MNA Jam Karim and asked him to record his statement, but he refused to do so.

Police had set up a JIT on November 16, 2021, headed by AIG Finance Tanveer Alam Odho and composing two other members inspector Siraj Lashari and DSP Ghulam Ali Jamani. It completed investigation in 14 days and concluded the direct involvement of both the brothers in Jokhio's murder.

The JIT concluded that Member of National Assembly Jam Karim and Member Sindh Assembly Jam Owais were directly involved in this incident.