Shahzeb Khan’s murder case: Prosecutor changed over difference of opinion

Move attributed to difference of opinion between court and special public prosecutor on the nature of offence.

KARACHI:

Ahead of the initiation of trial of the Shahzeb Khan murder case, the government has reportedly changed the special public prosecutor, who was assisting the anti-terrorism court, it emerged on Friday.

The move has been attributed to the difference of opinion between the court and the special public prosecutor on the nature of the offence alleged on four accused Shahrukh Jatoi, his friend Nawab Siraj Talpur, Nawab Sajjad Talpur and their servant Ghulam Murtaza Lashari.

On February 23, ATC-III Judge Ghulam Mustafa Memon had observed that the case falls within the domain of terrorism as the “element of terrorism is visible” in the case and had also accepted the final charge-sheet submitted by police against the accused.

The four are facing charges of murdering 20-year-old Shahzeb Khan, son of a police officer, over a petty dispute in the upscale Defence area on December 25, 2012.

In his report, the special public prosecutor Abdul Maroof had opined that after examining the final charge sheet his opinion was that the case against the accused does not fall within the ambit of the anti-terrorism law. Thus the trial must be conducted by a sessions’ court instead of anti-terrorism court.

Overruling his opinion, the trial court had fixed February 28 for initiating proper trial on day-to-day basis to conclude the same within seven days in line with the directions of the Supreme Court. The court is due to announce its verdict on the defence lawyer’s objections.

“Since my opinion has conflicted with the court’s observation, I don’t feel that I will be able to properly assist the court during the trial,” Abdul Maroof told The Express Tribune.

“So, I requested the concerned authority to assign the case to some other prosecutor to render proper assistance to the court, which is the requirement of the principles of justice.”

“Accepting my request, the authority has relieved me from this ‘particular’ case,” he confirmed. Sindh Prosecutor General Shahadat Awan was not available to confirm the reshuffle of the prosecution. Unconfirmed reports, however, suggested that special public prosecutor Shahid Arain has been assigned this high-profile case.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 2^nd, 2013.