Zeeshan murder case: SHC orders further investigation as incident’s video emerges

The police have asked for a week's time to file a report in light of the new evidence.

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court (SHC), on Tuesday, directed the district Central investigation SP to enquire into the shooting of a man by a Rangers personnel at the Nagan Chowrangi as video footage of the incident has now emerged.

The mystery surrounding the killing of Zeeshan, who was arguing with his wife when he was shot, has taken a new turn after a video footage of the incident emerged on a private television channel recently.

The police had registered the case against soldier Noor Rehman under Section 319 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) that relates to punishment for unintentional murder. The victim's sister, Tasneem Shahid, had subsequently gone to the high court to seek a direction for the police to register the case under Section 302 of the PPC, arguing that it was a case of premeditated murder.

On Tuesday, Amir Nawaz, the petitioner's lawyer, showed the footage to the judges in a packed courtroom, showing that Zeeshan was being beaten by his wife, Shafia, when the Rangers soldier shot at him.

On the last hearing, the judges had summoned the investigation SP, Syed Zahid Shah, to explain why the police had lodged an FIR against the suspect under Section 319 of the PPC.

"We are of the tentative opinion with regard to the Crime 112/14 that the proper provision of law has not been applied and perhaps there was a set frame of mind on the basis of a previous FIR, which led to lodging of this FIR under Section 319 of the PPC," remarked the head of the bench, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah.

Shah said neither he himself nor the investigating officer were aware that the incident had been recorded by a television channel. He requested for a week's time to watch the video and submit a report on the next date of hearing based on any new findings that the video may reveal.

He also assured the bench that Shafia would appear before the court on the next date of hearing. At Shah's request, the hearing was adjourned till May 19.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 14^th, 2014.