November 26, 2008	Wednesday	Ziqa'ad 27, 1429

HYDERABAD, Nov 25: Efforts are under way for an out-of-court settlement of the murder case of Naveed Sheikh, the son of the deputy registrar, Sindh High Court, Sukkur bench, through a federal minister.

It was learnt that the federal health minister may mediate for an out-of-court settlement between Bashir Sheikh, complainant of the case and father of deceased Naveed Sheikh and accused, including a girl, Shagufta Ansari and a Jordanian national, Mohammad Bin Abdullah.

“I have heard such thing in court today but the minister hasn’t talked to us. We respect him as he is our elder”, Bashir Shaikh told Dawn here on Monday. He did not clearly state whether he would refuse or accept a proposal of out-of-court settlement of the case.

He confirmed that second post-mortem of his son’s body had been conducted in Shikarpur but its official report was yet not released. “I am still contesting the case”, he said.

Defence counsel in the case, Zahoor A. Baloch said that there was some activity of this kind but nothing was finalised.

A police source of Makki Shah police station told Dawn that some efforts were under way and a meeting in Islamabad was likely in this context.

Naveed Sheikh was found dead on October 27 on the 7th Floor of Al-Amna Complex in Hyderabad cantonment. He was in love with Shagufta Ansari who claimed of severing her relations with him before Eidul Fitr.

Meanwhile, additional district judge of Hyderabad on Monday adjourned hearing in the bail application of the Jordanian national in the murder case till December 2, when investigating officer Naik Mohammad sought time to submit challan in the wake of second autopsy report.

Defence counsel had filed a bail application and an application under section 491 Cr.PC for keeping his client in wrongful confinement.

He submitted before the court that second autopsy had been conducted on the request of deceased’s father but its report was yet not issued. He said that interim challan had been submitted while the final was yet to be filed.—Staff Correspondent