A file photo of protesters holding placards calling for justice. PHOTO: ATHAR KHAN/THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE
The witness, who was a friend of the deceased, revealed these details at the Anti-Terrorism Court on Wednesday before Judge Ghulam Mustafa Memon. The same witness also identified all four suspects of the case - namely Shahrukh Jatoi, Siraj and Sajjad Talpur and Ghulam Mustafa Lashari.
The suspects came to hospital after the shooting, but they left after they saw Shahzeb’s body in the emergency room, said the witness. “These were the boys who were fighting with Shahzeb at the Country Club Apartments,” he said. “They chased him and then opened fire at him.”
According to special public prosecutor Muntazir Mehdi, the witness told the court in his statement that he was present at the Country Club Apartments, where the alleged fight broke out and he saw all four suspects fighting with Shahzeb. Satisfied with the witness’ statement, Mehdi said that the witness responded well during cross examination as well.
Besides the eyewitness, the medical superintendent of the services hospital, Dr Muhammad Taufeeq, told the court that Shahrukh, the main suspect of the case, was an adult. An anti-terrorism court had earlier directed the medical superintendent to constitute a medical board to conduct Shahrukh’s ossification test. Dr Taufeeq, who was the secretary of the medical board, submitted all the records of the tests conducted to determine his age.
The number of Shahrukh’s teeth and the bones in his x-ray show that he was not underage and his educational documents, obtained from the investigating officer, also support the statement that he is an adult. The doctor said that Shahrukh is 20 years old, Mehdi told The Express Tribune.
Meanwhile, the SPP moved an application before the court against a television show ‘Sar-i-aam’ on ARY News. He said the comments made by the anchorperson, Iqrarul Hasan, were beyond the scope of law. He requested the court take action against Hasan for commenting on an ongoing case. Following this request, the court issued a show-cause notice to Hasan with directions to appear before the court in person and satisfy the court through a proper explanation on April 12. The next hearing will take place today.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 11th, 2013.
COMMENTS (15)
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@Chunky Lafanga: this barbaric act follow the thoughts to avoid even think about doing any crime punsihments's main purpose is to stop other people think the same way rather then give pain to any individual THINK........
i think taliban should step in and sort the killers for good in their OWN way............... just a thought.
@chunky lafanga ; can't agree enough with your sane idea of a civilised society. Probably the frustration in Pakistan is not ready to accept such sanity that you wish to present. Public hanging, street justice, torching roads is how the system teaches you to have revenge. There's also no denying that life imprisonment would be the best but the way it works here (people getting away with shorter sentences) actually has people faith gone in justice system. No one wishes to have his son/daughter being taken away in such a manner but eye for an eye might lead to less desired results for a reform system/society.
@Karachiwala: I suggest you read my posts again. I'm not being naive; I never said that any of what I'm saying WILL happen. It SHOULD happen, but I knew it wouldn't - I knew there would either be blood money involved or some sort of politics would eventually acquit the murderers. I'd try arguing the finer points of morality but they would probably be lost on you, as my earlier posts were.
@Umair Waheed Sheikh, IBA, Khayban e Hafiz: I grew up with wadera's kids and kids who's parents were either rich or influential, which they would flaunt over people. I'm not surprised if what you say is true, but that doesn't vindicate the murderers. We've all done terrible things at some point in our lives but that doesn't mean we deserve to be murdered.
OK- to all of the above- lets stay put and watch...
for the public prosecutor comments- You are such a naive, that you do not know if the complainant of the FIR- who nominated the accused backs off- there is NO state of Pakistan going after them.
Public prosecutor is just that the family does not have their personal lawyer to put up a case. its provided by Govt of Pakistan.
Shahzeb was no messiah. He would beat up a lot of people so please don't give us all the crap. Life came a full circle. I have heard his dad has already taken some money. rest of the deal will be done in a few months after elections.
@Jude Allen:
I don't have kids. Do you? If you do, (and I hope not) has one of them been murdered? I don't presume to know the pain and tragedy of losing a child (and neither should you) and I don't wish that upon anyone.
It is not up to me to "judge their fate", as it is not up to you either. They should go through due process, i.e. the court system. I know that sounds idealistic given the current state of Pakistan, but if you want a democratic country, you need to accept ALL aspects of democracy, not the ones that appeal to you.
As for jail, not only have I visited one in Karachi, I was jailed twice as a teenager (for stupid things, but that's another story). It's a dark, terrible place and I never want to go back. That's why I thought twice about breaking the law after I got out.
You have no proof of your idea working or setting "law in motion"; you just assume a public hanging will deter ciminals and murderers. Weren't people publically hanged in most countries not more than a century ago? Unless I'm mistaken, this didn't deter anyone and murders have happened since then.
Your logic, rhetoric, and ideas about justice belong in the middle ages.
@ Chunky Lafanga: I couldn't agree with you MORE. :) Agreed 100%, my statements are utterly barbaric; a fact which I will not deny. Do you have kids? What if your son was shot BARBICALLY by ruthless thugs? How would you judge their fate? Would you be in an Emotionally Disbalanced position to decide? Well, the good news is I am not emotionally disbalanced. I never even knew the DSP's son. But, just ONE public execution will set the law in motion. No more will powerful feudals or anyone feel they are above the law. Did you say "Life Imprisonment"????? Ahhh you have not visited a prison cell before have you? Jail doesn't reform inmates in Pakistan. it elevates them, empowers them and prepares them for more organized crime. and when they are set free . . . . eventually, we all pay the price. (unless YOU can guarantee they remain inside for good) Yes, my idea is very, very barbaric but IT WORKS :)
@ Karachi Wala The case is tried on ATC , and such cases are always "State Vs Acussed". The term"Public Prosecutor" should ring some bells for you. And the jury system of Canada / America is critised aswell. I wonder when this inferiority complex ends for our nation.
Inshallah we should. This is an Open and Shut case. The culprits MUST be publically hanged.
@Karachiwala: the family lost their only son and only brother..what do u think they will do with the money? have some sense of humanity and think would your parents take money if you, their only son was killed in this manner. And do not compare countries like US UK and Canada as they are much much older and had worse problems than these when they were at this stage..its this youth that can bring the change and i am extremely hopeful that in sha Allah we will succeed this time around!!
Everyone is just waiting for the culprits to be punished asap. Its an open case, don't understand what is the court waiting for.
Salute to the witness for opening up in court:)
diyat- blood money...is going to be the fate on this case. if that was US-UK-CANADA, the state itself will become party to it..and even the victim family take blood money- state would pursue its case of MAN SLAUGHTER and take it to logical conclusion.