Shahrukh Jatoi caught enjoying ‘lavish lifestyle’ at hospital

Shahrukh Jatoi, the murder convict of 2012 Shahzeb murder case, has been living a "lavish life" on the upper floor of a little known private hospital in Karachi's Gizri area on the pretext of medical treatment.

Home department sources told The Express Tribune on Monday that a senior official of the Sindh government played a role in transferring the murder convict from prison to hospital under the guise of medical treatment.

Shahrukh was shifted to Qamarul Islam Hospital a few months ago, which is reportedly being rented by affluent Jatoi family of the province.

As soon as the news was leaked to the media, the murder convict was shifted back to the prison.

Additional Chief Secretary Sindh Qazi Shahid Pervez, when contacted, told The Express Tribune that the Home Department did not give any permission regarding the transfer or admission of Shahrukh Jatoi from jail to hospital.

"If a prisoner's health deteriorates, the prison administration may transfer him to the hospital. However, the prison administration decides to transfer the sick prisoner from the prison to the hospital in the light of the medical report of the prison medical officer.

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"The decision to keep the sick prisoner in the hospital or moving them back to jail is taken in view of the report. There are prison rules in this regard."

Also read: Top court rejects Shahrukh Jatoi's review petition

Earlier in 2018, then Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar expressed displeasure after he found out that the VIP treatment was being meted out to Shahrukh and ordered the authorities to shift the murder convict to the death cell.

The former top judge during surprise visit to Karachi's Malir Jail caught Shahrukh enjoying B-class facilities at the prison.

In 2018, the apex court had ordered arrest of Shahrukh and two co-accused in the Shahzeb murder case after setting aside their acquittal by a trial court and removal of anti-terrorism charges by the Sindh High Court.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 11^th, 2022.