Jokhio’s widow accuses prosecution of favouring suspect

Files plea in SHC against delay in filing challan in ATC

KARACHI:

Shireen Jokhio, wife of Nazim Jokhio, filed a petition in the Sindh High Court against the non-submission of challan in the special anti-terrorism court.

Nazim's tortured body was found near PPP MPA Jam Awais' farmhouse in Malir area a day after he filmed a group of foreigners hunting endangered houbara bustard in his Achar Salaar village in Thatta.

In the petition, the victim's wife has stated that on February 8, Judicial Magistrate Malir had ordered to file the case in the special anti-terrorism court. The prosecution is delaying the submission of case challan without any reason. The purpose of the prosecution's delay in the challan is to put pressure on me to withdraw the case. The court is requested to issue orders to stop the harassment and order the challan of the case to be submitted to the special anti-terrorism court without any further delay.

Nazim's tortured body was found in Awais' farmhouse in Karachi's Malir area a day after he filmed a group of foreigners hunting endangered houbara bustard in his Achar Salaar village in Thatta.

Talking to the media after filing the petition, Shereen Jokhio said that some people criticize her coming to court. "We are poor, but not for sale," she said asserting that taking blood money as compensation for her husband's murder was out of question.

"I am not greedy, and I am sure that Allah Almighty will not let me go hungry," she said affirming tat people had tried to convince her to forgive the alleged killers for sake of her and her children's better economic prospects.

"I have no fear, life and death is in the hands of Allah Almighty," the simple village woman said undaunted by the power of the tribal chief who is an MPA and his elder brother is an MNA. "Be the voice of the oppressed, Allah will be your voice too," the widow said.

She said that the people of Jam Awais's elder brother MNA Jam Abdul Kareem have not contacted her. "But some people have tried to act as go-between. People are also fooling Jam Abdul Karim," she said hinting at persons taking money to try to broker a compromise. "If Jam Abdul Kareem is innocent, he should appear in court. I have no personal enmity. If you are not involved in the murder, appear in court."

Published in The Express Tribune, March 2^nd, 2022.