Seven years on, Perween Rahman murder case lingers

Counsels seek more time from the court to conclude arguments

KARACHI:

The hearing of the murder case of social activist and proponent of low-income housing, Perween Rahman, was again put off on Tuesday.

An anti-terrorism court has accepted the plea of lawyers to give them more time to conclude arguments in the Orangi Pilot Project Director Perween Rahman murder case.

During the hearing held at the Anti-Terrorism Complex at Karachi Central Jail, the counsels sought time to make final arguments.

The court, while accepting the plea, adjourned the hearing until August 21.

Rahman, a postgraduate diploma in housing, building and urban planning from the Institute of Housing Studies in Rotterdam, Netherlands, was killed on March 13, 2013, when four gunmen opened fire on her vehicle near Pirabad Police Station, ending her 28-year-long career for advocating for land and basic services rights for the underprivileged.

She had been an outspoken critic of the land mafias in Karachi and their political patrons.

Raheem Swati, Imran Swati, Ahmed Khan, Amjad Hussain, and Ayaz Swati are under trial in the case.

IO absent in Ali Wazir case

Meanwhile, an ATC directed the investigation officer (IO) to appear at the next date of hearing of the hate speech case against MNA Ali Wazir.

The jail authorities produced Wazir before the court, but the IO was absent. Directing the IO to appear at the next hearing, the court ordered the provision of the case copies to the defendants.

During the hearing, Wazir's counsel submitted an application for his medical treatment.

The court sought a medical treatment report at the next hearing slated for August 17.

Wazir, who was elected to the National Assembly from South Waziristan's NA-50, is accused of inciting the public against the state and using derogatory language against the security forces at a public gathering of around 2,000 participants in Sohrab Goth on December 6, 2020.

The police arrested the lawmaker in Peshawar at the behest of the Sindh Police and flew him to Karachi to face trial.

Currently, the lawmaker is under custody while 10 of his suspected accomplices have acquired bail from the court.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 11^th, 2021.