Federal government announces to set up joint investigation team in Nazim Jokhio murder case
The federal government has announced the formation of a joint investigation team into the case of Nazim Jokhio, who was killed in November in Memon Goth, Karachi.
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry, while briefing on the decisions taken in the meeting of the Federal Cabinet on Tuesday, announced the formation of this JIT.
He said the joint investigation committee would include representatives of the FIA, civil and military forces.
He blamed the Sindh government for not doing enough to save Nazim Jokhio's killers, adding that the criminal investigation was completely compromised and that the situation was "unacceptable". But there are reservations.
He said that in view of this, the federal government has approved the formation of a joint inquiry committee into the case.
It may be recalled that the victim's family said that they were under a lot of pressure from the accused to withdraw the case.
Background of the incident
In November this year, Sindh resident Nazim Jokhio uploaded a video on social media in Malir Memon Goth to stop foreigners from hunting, after which his tortured body was found.
The relatives of Nazim Jokhio had named 22 accused in the alleged murder, including PPP Sindh Assembly member Jam Owais Ghuram and National Assembly member Jam Abdul Karim, most of whom were arrested while some were granted bail.
Earlier, the plaintiff in the Nazim Jokhio murder case had requested that the provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Act be included in the case. These provisions were added to the lawsuit at the request of the plaintiff.
Plaintiff Afzal Jokhio's lawyers in the case had stated that they did not trust the current police investigation team.
The investigating officer had told the court that Nazim Jokhio's burnt mobile phone and clothes had been recovered and sent to a forensic laboratory, whereupon the plaintiff's lawyers argued that the clothes and mobile phone had not been verified.
Earlier, Nazim Jokhio's heirs and lawyers expressed distrust in Malir police and requested the formation of a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to independently investigate the case.
The Home Department had sent his request to the Chief Minister for approval.
''Not satisfied with the results of the investigation.''
Nazim Jokhio's elder brother and plaintiff Afzal Jokhio met the Home Secretary last month and asked him to form a JIT comprising a DSP, an inspector, Rangers, ISI, MI. A request was also made from the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to include officers of the rank of Major.
According to Afzal Jokhio, they are not satisfied with the findings of the investigating police. They also disagree with the clothes and mobile phones claimed by the police as they were not present there and the other clothes. And mobiles are also burnt.
Afzal Jokhio's lawyer Muzaffar Junejo had told the BBC that the FIR registered against Nazim's murder was based on his statement before the plaintiff arrived. The lawyer claimed that when the plaintiff asked him to read them, he was told that they would give him a carbon copy, "Don't worry, you will not get justice."
"Incomplete story written in FIR"
Last month, the plaintiff's lawyer said that the police had added the names of five accused. The facts or the whole story was also written incompletely in the FIR. The main accused, Jam Karim Bajjar, his name was not even included in the FIR. ''The bomber struck shortly after noon in front of a crowd of mourners''.
Afzal Jokhio pointed out to police the room where his brother was being held and where he had died.
Advocate Muzaffar Junejo had said that the first step after FIR is to inspect the scene and prepare a report. According to him, the investigating officer himself wrote the letter to Afzal for signature which he did not accept and clarified that he would personally inspect the scene.
''Immediately after the FIR or a few hours after the incident, the incident is inspected but four days later the inspection was carried out''. Only two officers were present at the scene and the recovery of the sticks has already been shown. We are not confident that these are really the same sticks that were tortured or brought from elsewhere.
Advocate Muzaffar Junejo had claimed that the police were not allowed to go inside the Jam House where the Jam brothers were present but they put pressure on the police after which they reached the place where Nazim was killed.
The police could not recover the recordings of the CCTV cameras installed in the jam house even though the court has issued a clear order in this regard. Jam Owais has been arrested but police could not get the names and telephone numbers of the two foreign guests during interrogation.