Nazim Jokhio murder case: SHC grants interim pre-arrest bail to PPP MNA

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Thursday granted pre-arrest bail to Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) MNA Jam Abdul Karim Bijar in the Nazim Jokhio murder case. Jam Karim, who left for Dubai after the murder of Nazim Jokhio and was declared absconder by the police, had filed a bail application in the SHC for obtaining pre-arrest bail in the case.

The applicant’s counsel submitted that his client was earlier granted transitory protective bail by the SHC for 10 days to surrender before the court after returning to the country.

He submitted that the applicant was named as one of the accused in the case, wherein the charge sheet was filed before the sessions court. He submitted that the judicial magistrate, Malir had refused to accept the charge sheet, giving an opinion that this case should go to the anti-terrorism court for trial and returned the charge sheet to the investigation officer for compliance.

He submitted that the charge sheet was not submitted before any court yet, therefore the applicant has no option to approach the court directly to obtain interim pre-arrest bail in the case until the fate of jurisdiction was decided by the prosecutor general Sindh.

He said that the applicant will approach the relevant court after decision of the prosecutor general office for further proceeding subject to the order of the court. He said that two other accused Mohammad Saleem Salar and Soomar have already been granted pre-arrest bail in the case.

The SHC’s single bench headed by Justice Omer Sial, after preliminary hearing of the application, granted pre-arrest bail to the PPP MNA till April 11 and issued notice to the prosecutor general Sindh and others for their comments.

Police had on January 26 submitted the charge sheet in the Nazim Jokhio murder case before the judicial magistrate, Malir against Pakistan People’s Party MPA Jam Awais and four others arrested accused while declaring his brother MNA Jam Abdul Karim and four others as absconders in the case.

Police investigation said that the motive of Nazim Jokhio’s killing was his action for uploading the scuffle video with foreigners, who were hunting the houbara bustard in his village. Police officer submitted that Nazim Jokhio was tortured in Jam House by MNA Jam Abdul Karim and later by his brother Jam Awais and his guards Mir Ali and Hyder Ali for uploading the video of foreign hunters.

Police charge-sheeted MPA Jam Awais, Mir Ali Jokhio, Hyder Ali Khaskheli, Jamal Ahmed and Mohammad Miraj for murder, concealment of evidence and criminal intimidation for causing death.

Nazim Jokhio’s tortured body was found at the Jam House, said to be owned by MPA Jam Awais, in Jam Goth on November 3, 2021. Jokhio’s brother lodged a case against PPP MPA Jam Awais, his younger brother MNA Jam Abdul Karim and others for being involved in the murder of his 27-year-old brother. According to the police, Nazim Jokhio was tortured to death for reportedly trying to prevent the lawmaker’s guests from hunting the houbara bustard in the Thatta district.