DADU: The Model Criminal Court of Dadu on Saturday fixed Sept 11 for pronouncing its judgement in the infamous triple murder case of Raees Karamullah Chandio, his brother Mukhtiar Chandio and the latter’s son Qabil Chandio in the Jan 17, 2018 attack on their house in Mehar.

MPA Sardar Nawab Chandio, the chieftain of his tribe in Mehar and his younger brother and former adviser to the CM Nawab Burhan Chandio appeared in the court to attend the hearing. From the other side, complainant Umme Rubab, daughter of deceased Mukhtiar Chandio, and her lawyers were also present.

After hearing final arguments from both sides, the court reserved its judgement till Sept 11.

While the litigants were on their way back to different destinations in convoys of cars after leaving the court, a vehicle carrying MPA Chandio’s private guards hit a parked car leaving its four occupants (guards) injured near Kakar town along the Indus Highway. The guards — Jalal, Hazar, Ghaibi and Haji — were admitted to the Khairpur Nathan Shah Taluka Hospital.

Umme Rubab later told local reporters that the accident might have been the result of “an attempt to harm” her as her vehicle narrowly escaped the “deliberate collision”.

She repeated her allegation that the rival sides had constantly been harassing her in order to force her to withdraw the case.

Dadu SSP Aijaz Ahmed Sheikh, speaking to this reporter, said that the Khairpur Nathan Shah police visited the accident site and initial probe suggested that it was an accident. He said Umme Rubab reached her Mehar residence and MPA Chandio’s convoy reached Qambar-Shahdadkot safely. He said there was no evidence of the alleged attack on Ms Rubab.

Published in Dawn, August 29th, 2021