KARACHI: An antiterrorism court has given a last chance to the police investigating officer to submit a supplementary charge sheet based on the fresh probe by a fourth joint investigation team into the murder of former head of the Orangi Pilot Project (OPP) Perween Rahman.

Five accused — Abdul Raheem Swati, his son Mohammad Imran Swati and three co-accused: Ayaz Shamzai aka Swati, Amjad Hussain Khan and Ahmed Khan aka Ahmed Ali aka Pappu Kashmiri — have been charged with murdering her.

Perween Rahman was gunned down near her office in Orangi Town on March 13, 2013.

When the matter recently came up before the ATC-VII judge, who is conducting trial in the judicial complex inside the central prison, the IO of the case was set to submit a report regarding progress in the fresh investigation into the high-profile murder.

The IO filed a report stating that he had sent a letter to the prosecutor general, Sindh requesting him to ensure scrutiny of the supplementary charge sheet based on the findings of the fourth JIT was conducted as soon as possible.

However, he said the same had not been done so far. He requested for more time to enable him to submit a supplementary charge sheet once its scrutiny was done by the prosecution department.

Allowing the request, the judge gave a last chance to the IO till March 1 for submitting the supplementary charge sheet. He was also told to submit original copies of the reports compiled by all past JITs.

On the directives of the Supreme Court, the federal government had constituted a fourth joint investigation team, headed by the director general of the FIA, after the complainant had expressed her mistrust in the Sindh police.

In September last year, the SC had directed Karachi’s ATC-XIII judge to conclude trial within one month and submit a progress report since the fourth JIT had concluded re-investigation in compliance with its (SC’s) directives.

In November, the judge of the trial court (ATC-XIII) had sent a progress report requesting the apex court to allow it more time to conclude the trial, which was still under way, the judicial sources told Dawn.

In the meanwhile, the tenure of the judge of ATC-XIII expired on Nov 23. Therefore, the case was transferred to ATC-IV for proceedings.

Published in Dawn, February 24th, 2021