Municipal chairman named in journalist’s murder case suspended

The Sindh government has suspended Shahbaz Ahmed Khan Lund, the municipal chairman of Mirpur Mathelo, following his nomination as an accused in the murder case of journalist Nasrullah Gadani.

Gadani was injured in an attack by armed men on May 21 in Mirpur Mathelo and succumbed to his injuries on May 25. Initially, the case was registered against unknown assailants at the local police station.

However, on June 27, eyewitnesses identified Pakistan Peoples Party MNA Khalid Lund and his two sons, including Shahbaz, as suspects in the murder.

In response to widespread protests by journalists across Sindh demanding justice, the government invoked Section 120, Subsection 3 of the Sindh Local Government Ordinance to suspend Shahbaz.

On Thursday, CM Murad Ali Shah met with the mother and brother of Nasrullah Gadani. Home Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjhar, Energy Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, and Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani were also present in the meeting.

During the meeting, the family of the martyred journalist demanded the disassociation of PPP from MNA Khalid Lund at the party level and the suspension of Municipal Chairman Shehbaz Lund, who is nominated in the murder case. In response to the demands of the martyred journalist's family, the Sindh government has taken action under Section 120 of the Sindh Local Government Ordinance, suspending Shehbaz Lund.

Journalists Ghazi Jhandir and Nimat Kharo described the suspension as a significant step towards achieving justice for the slain journalist.