Shahrukh Jatoi outside the court premises. PHOTO: ATHAR KHAN/EXPRESS
KARACHI: The day Shahrukh Jatoi filed an appeal against the Anti-Terrorist Court verdict in the Sindh High Court, he also reportedly wrote letters to the human rights advocacy groups to seek their support against his conviction.
Shahrukh, who was sentenced to death after being found guilty in the Shahzeb Khan murder case on June 7, addressed the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) Chairperson Zohra Yusuf in the letter, with the subject reading “Appeal of Justice”. The letter was also forwarded to eminent lawyer Asma Jahangir, Supreme Court Bar Association President Mian Israrul Haq, Sindh High Court Bar Association President Mustafa Lakhani and Zia Ahmed Awan of Madadgar.
“I faced the trial with an open heart and mind and put my faith in the judicial system of Pakistan,” Shahrukh said in the letter. “I am, however, shocked at the judgment as I did not kill Shahzeb Khan.”
Shahrukh said that he hasn’t written the letter to gain sympathy but to highlight the “heinous” role played by the media throughout the trial and “unnecessary intervention of the judiciary in the investigation of the case which led to miscarriage of justice which, in turn, could lead to the end of my life.” Shahrukh also alleged that the verdict was out before the trial even began, adding that his pictures holding a gun were aired on television and plastered across newspapers as if he was a terrorist.
The convict further stated that he was denied a fair trial and questioned that even if it is assumed that he committed the crime, would it be right to condemn him to death for a momentary lapse of judgment? He urged the HRCP to not let another youth die, adding that two wrongs don’t make a right. “The system’s job is to reform an individual, not kill him.”
Yusuf, meanwhile, acknowledged that a regional office of the commission forwarded her the letter through an email in which Shahrukh has pleaded his innocence and complained against the media. “Such cases do not fall under our domain and can only be solved through a process in the court,” she said, adding that HRCP does not take up cases that only benefits individuals rather than public at large.
Lakhani and Awan, however, denied receiving any letter. Awan said that the convict can write to anyone in his personal capacity but it wouldn’t be of any help to him as the matter is sub judice. “It was a test case and timely conviction only upholds the rule of law.”
Despite several attempts, Shahrukh’s counsel Shoukat Hussain Zubedi could not be reached for his comments. Jamshed Ahmed Khokhar, one of the lawyers in the panel, however, said that he was unaware of any correspondence that Shahrukh might have had with HRCP from the jail. “Neither Shahrukh nor his family have informed us about any such letter.”
The Superintendent of the Karachi Central Jail, Kazi Nazir Ahmed, expressed his ignorance about the letter. “The letter hasn’t been routed through me nor was it brought to my knowledge,” said Ahmed, adding that the letter might have been forwarded by a relative of Shahrukh.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 17th, 2013.
COMMENTS (42)
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... and what about those people who know for a fact that Shahrukh did NOT commit this crime - INCLUDING the Khan family? They know if they come out with the truth now that mobs of angry people will be after THEM for lying to the "common people"...... Just as THEY incited the "common people" to go after this kid in the first place!
This is NO "JUSTICE" for the "common man" - Shahzeb was FAR from being a "common man"! Look at how MQM tried to shut down Sikandar Jatoi's business and put thousands of workers out of their jobs when this case went public.... SO MUCH MORE going on in the back ground of this case... personal hatreds, politics.... and shame on the Khan's for being puppets to all this! May they rot in hellfire eternally!
@Zuhaib: personal animosity??? I'm sure you have proof of that. Please share. and why is it that the law applies to ordinary people. But when it comes to these feudals, we need to reform them? Aren't they the ones whose forefathers were agents of the British and they got these lands as a reward for suppressing the people of this region, just to please their foreign masters?
@Saad: Would you have said the same things if the one murdered was your real brother, father or son? Yes he should not be punished if he is innocent. But if he is guilty, which is the court's responsibility to ensure, not the media or us, then an example must be made of him.
Just an example of what our country has become - a personal property of the feudals, where everyone else is merely their peasant. Unless we do some drastic land reforms, this is likely to continue for the next 65 years.
To me this appears to be a legal strategy to reduce the severity of the sentence and / or prepare the grounds for a ' royal ' pardon ( if so allowed in the case of murder).
It would appear from the comments above that Feudal=Sindhi and Sindhi=Feudal. Shahrukh being a Sindhi, therefore he is a feudal. Shahrukh's father started off as a transporter in Larkana. He made money and made contacts. In 1992 he bought a Cement factory being privatised by the Nawaz Sharif Govt. who he paid off, Lord only knows, but the business turned him into a very wealthy man. So Shaheukh Jatoi belongs to a business family with no connections whatsoever to landholdings. If by simply being Sindhi makes him a feudal then it is a poor reflection of a certain ignorant mindset.
@Aysha M.: lol.. and who would that be?
And the Social media trial, which was initiated by the dad of the deceased, continues.
First of all just because his surname is 'Jatoi' stop judging him! He belongs to a family of businessmen..pure business. Wadera and feudal is just a mindset. Some people will just never learn! Enough said!
Cheers
PPl r being killed here daily...thousands of ppl r missing...relatives of those ppl r directly blaming our own state, our army in our spy agency of their abduction...u must have heard abt the missing persons case in the supreme court...thts being lingered on since last 7 years or so,,,whr is the justice thn??? 2 years back 2 bros. were ruthlessly butchered in front of huge crowd in sub-urb of Sialkot...everbody knows who killed thm...whole world wathcd killers on tv...R culprits punished yet??? Wht happened to mukhtaran mai's case?? there r thousands of such cases pending in our courts.... Its all abt personal animosity btw cj n sharukh's father, n involvement of big wigs which brought it to this conclusion..thts it.,.. N this guy will nt b hanged...he will be released on bail whn case wil reach in high court...even if he is going to be hanged nothing will change
What a shame a few people are still favoring that murderer... what reform he is talking about .. a reform that might require him to have a 'reform session' in luxurious hotels in dubai or exotic beaches of miami .. no reforms dear .... your must be hanged till death and thats the best reform!!
It is true that we can't treat prisoners by keeping them in prison, because even innocents become prisoners after stepping out of cell; rather they must be kept in some asylum where they could rectify their mistakes and heinous acts and become civilized citizens. However in matters of killing and murders, justice demands the same revenge and return. This act is essential as to teach others a lesson.
“I faced the trial with an open heart and mind and put my faith in the judicial system of Pakistan,”strong text I assume you escaped to Dubai on fake passport, just to participate in Dubai Festival.
@Saad: Mr. Saad, thank you so much for your kind suggestions. After your suggestion, I have the permission to kill you or your family than judiciary will REFORM me and you will better understand the pain and feelings. We need CAPITAL PUNISHMENT for all those involved in such kind of crimes, Period.
@Saad: Without getting into the merits of the death penalty, all I have to say is that Pakistan has it on the books, and its high time that we impose it on those who truly deserve it as opposed to the poor "Kisans" who routinely get executed without proper representation and without having their day in court. This monster got to spend all his money to lawyer up, and he had his day in court. He is now a convicted killer with meritless arguments on appeal, which means that your claim about how he needs to clear his name is utter nonsense.
It will be a great day for Pakistan when this cold blooded, monstrous wadera is executed. We can only hope that it sets an example for other cold blooded, monstrous waderas, who have wreaked havoc in our country since its birth.
@Saad: And one more thing it nothing to do with that he is feudal. People hates him because he has murder a person and he is not even guilty on it.
@Saad: And one more thing it nothing to do with that he is feudal. People hates him because he has murder a person and he not even feeling guilty on it.
@Saad: Before advocating him see his pictures after his verdict in which he showing victory sign to media, which clearly shows what he thinks about judiciary. Media is against him because loads of people are with Shahzaib. If he is innocent why not someone from his side came and clear his image.
Atc passed the judgement because of pressure from supreme court . This guy has every right to appeal simply because the prosecution father being part of police force and hence influence on charge sheet. Secondly , witnesses stories did change but still a capital punishment was handed. He's a human being before a feudal. Just like shahzeb was before being a son of police officer having unexplained wealth.
And those "victory" signs after the conviction? Were those also a momentary lapse in judgement?
We need a French-esque revolution in Pak against all the fuedal land lords, who's with me?
Reading the comments here, I have to say there's a lot of hatred towards him because he's a 'feudal'.
I think he has all rights to try and clear his name, if he can. Also, his points about this being a media trial, and the justice system to reform rather kill him are absolutely correct.
Capital punishment will not help anyone. Proper dispensing of justice will. For all cases, irrespective of the case being a wadera or a kisaan, or having media attention or not.
You are a murderer, 'sweet boi'! You have been rightly punished by an ATC and it's verdict shall be upheld by superior courts as well. You killed a person in cold blood and escaped the scene. You were an absconder till you were arrested in Emirates. You have been lying all along and tried your best the victim's family gave in to your waderaism. This country really needs that you, target killers and all rapists be hanged in public and their helpless faces are shown while they wet their pants out of the fear of death!
He didn't look least bit shocked after the judgement. There's no doubt that he's guilty. If he was innocent he'd be devastated after the judgement, If he was guilty he should've been regretful after hearing the judgment. This guy was neither, he was so relaxed like he's 100% sure nothing's gonna happen to him. He basically laughed at the juridical system's face. He must be punished for his crime!
A guilty person would not have fled the country after the killing incident. He would have stood his ground and defended himself.
Look who's talking. This murderer was making V signs after leaving the court that announced his death sentence.
I think I need to talk to my party people to manage his boriya bistar.
the chota feudal is trying to sabotage the justice here. The verdict had to eb given within weeks but took months still the chota feudal is staging this drama, he and other killers apepared with sindhi topis in the typical wadera mindset to act as mazloom and now this, these waderas can go to any lows
Justice hurried is justice buried. What nonsense is this.
Ever herd of the word Psychopath/sociopath , those who ahve no remorse or guilt whatsoever and manipulate normal human we. He defines the word!
'momentary lapse of judgment'?. Chasing an unarmed boy with armed accomplices! And your attitude on the day of the verdict? You are not going to get away.
What a joke you lords sharing, after killing a human you said two wrong thing doesn't equal. Asma Jahangir as usual will be very active after this letter.
The main issue in Pakistan is that people are not handed out punishments for their crimes, that's the reason they go on to commit similar crimes. The convict further stated that he was denied a fair trial and questioned that even if it is assumed that he committed the crime, would it be right to condemn him to death for a momentary lapse of judgment This is enough to tell us about his screwed mentality.
This fuedal deserves to die. If only more of his kind were executed, Pakistan would be a far better place.
Are you kidding me?! How dare he call his 'actions' a momentary lapse of judgement? He should be shot at and then made to suffer. And 'the system's job is to reform an individual, not kill him'?! This boy is delusional. What kind of a retarded lawyer or whoever drafted this letter? He should be ashamed of himself for even being alive.
Absolutely agree with Billo Bhaya. Further after the judgement was passed by the ATC, your and your colleagues cum supporter behavior was ridiculous. You were making mockery of the judgement. You during the course of the trial tried to buy the witness, malign the family by propagating false news in the media. You also tried to misguide media and used in your favour. Lied about your age and tried gaining maximum time. Now after all these failed attempt finaly you the judgement for the punishment you rightly deserve you are again misleading. Shame on you Shahrukh.
You said it dear: "even if it is assumed that he committed the crime, would it be right to condemn him to death for a momentary lapse of judgment?" It was not momentary but premeditated. You brought additional forces bearing arms to cause harm to another person. That was murder. Then your mode of flight to Dubai with daddy suggesting Australia where you were on the night of the murder, was sheer nonsense. Under law, perverting the course of justice carries the same punishment as the one committing the crime. Your father should also have been charged for lying on TV and for abetment of the crime you committed and sentenced. People like you take us for idiots. I want you and your ilk to know that you are not going to get away. We the people of Pakistan will make sure punishment fits the crime.