Sakhi Baloch death: Lyari mother goes to court with charges of extrajudicial killing

Chakiwara SHO has to ascertain if a cognisable offence was made.

KARACHI: The mother of the man whose killing prompted Lyari to go up in flames has gone to court with allegations of an extra-judicial murder.

Saqib alias Sakhiullah Baloch was taken into custody by the CID police led by SSP Chaudhry Aslam during an operation in Lyari, said his mother Bilqees.

She alleges that he was tortured and later shot at pointblank range. There was no evidence of an alleged encounter with the police as has been said and dozens of people from the locality are witness to his arrest prior to his cold-blooded murder, she said. She now wants the registration of an FIR against Federal Interior Minister Rahman Malik, MNA Sardar Nabeel Ahmed Gabol and SSP Chudhry Aslam.

On Monday, her private complaint was filed under section 22 of the Criminal Procedure Code and was heard by Additional District and Sessions Judge, South Abdul Razzak. He ordered the Chakiwara SHO to record her statement and if a cognisable offence is made out, then file an FIR according to her version of the events.

The judge held in his order that the federal interior minister’s orders may have been to restore law and order in the area and thus he had no nexus with the alleged extra-judicial killing.

The court then directed the SHO to first establish whether the alleged incident occurred within the precincts of his police station and if so, then record her statement.

The court ordered that an FIR will be lodged against nominated accused, except Rahman Malik, if a cognisable offence is made out.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 10^th, 2012.