DADU: The Model Criminal Trial Court of Dadu on Saturday ordered inclusion of MPA Nawab Sardar Khan Chandio and his younger brother Nawab Burhan Chandio in the FIR of the Jan 17, 2018 triple murder case.

The court had on Aug 31 reserved its order on a plea filed by Umme Rubab, daughter of one of the victims, Mukhtiar Chandio, seeking inclusion of the names in the FIR alleging that the attack on her father, grandfather and uncle had been carried out at the behest of the MPA and his brother.

Raees Karamullah Chandio, the then chairman of the Baldai union council of Mehar, along with his two sons, Mukhtiar and Qabil, were killed when a group of armed men, believed to be their fellow tribesmen, attacked their residence in Ahmed Colony in Mehar taluka on Jan 17, 2018. One of the attackers was also killed in retaliatory fire by inmates.

Both the suspects were present in the court when the order was pronounced. Other suspects, Ali Gohar, Sattar, Sikandar, Zulfiqar and Murtaza were also brought to the court from jail.

MPA Sardar Chandio, the chieftain of his tribe in Mehar, and Burhan Chandio, the then adviser to the chief minister, had pleaded that they had nothing to do with the attack and that they had been far away from the victims’ residence when the attack had taken place.

Stringent security measures were taken at and around the court, as well as the route of the prisoners’ van. A strong contingent of police and Rangers personnel remained deployed in the area during the course of the court proceedings.

Applicant Umme Rubab attended the proceedings and later, speaking to local reporters, expressed her satisfaction over the order in favour of her plea.

MPA Sardar Chandio said he would challenge the order in the high court. The model court has fixed Sept 25 for further proceedings of the main case.

Published in Dawn, September 12th, 2021