KARACHI: The Memon Goth police on Thursday morning registered a case against a PPP lawmaker and four of his associates on the charges of torturing a 27-year-old man, Nizamuddin Jokhio, a day earlier. The victim was said to have tried to prevent some foreign guests of the legislator from hunting houbara bustard in Thatta district.

Father of four, Jokhio was found dead in the farmhouse of the lawmaker in Malir where he was called reportedly for a ‘patch-up’.

A large number of the Jokhio community members, the bereaved family and their relatives held a day-long sit-in at Gaghar Phatak in Malir and at several places in Thatta for the arrest of all those involved in the alleged murder. The protest was continuing till the last report came in at around midnight.

In the meantime, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari contacted Afzal Jokhio, the brother of the deceased, and assured him of arrest of all suspects, according to the bereaved family.

Jokhio community holds day-long protests in Malir, Thatta

Afzal Jokhio has lodged an FIR stating that he was a resident of Salar Goth located near Gaghar Phatak. He further stated that Nazim was present in the farmhouse when some foreigners visited it on Tuesday (Nov 2) with intention of hunting of houbara bustard. He claimed that his brother tried to prevent them from hunting the bird in the Jokhio community’s village and tried to make a video of the guests. Subsequently, the foreigners left the farmhouse, he added. “However, at around 11pm the same day, Jam Awais alias Gohram called out my brother, Nazim, through Niaz Salar (said to be the personal secretary of the MPA) from our home. Nizam was taken to the Jam House in Malir where Jam Awais, Niaz Salar, Ahmed and others started punching and beating him up with sticks until he died,” Afzal claimed.

According to the FIR, the body was found at the main gate of Jam House.

Malir SSP, Irfan Bahadur told Dawn that the family had nominated five persons in the murder case. Two of them have been arrested and efforts are under way to arrest the remaining suspects, according to the police officer.

Earlier, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah took notice of the alleged murder and directed the police to register the FIR as per the wishes of the heirs. The CM also assured the family of justice, according to his spokesperson.

Nizam’s relatives along with residents of the village and members of the Jokhio community, carrying the body, held a sit-in on the main National Highway near Gaghar Phatak for some time before burying it in the nearby graveyard. They again emerged at the Phatak and resumed the ir sit-in which continued till midnight.

Similar sit-ins were held at different places in Thatta district.

“Our protest would continue till the waderas involved in the murder are arrested,” said Afzal Jokhio.

Qadir Kalmati of the PML-N, Dr Masroor Siyal of the PTI, PML-F MPA Nusrat Seher Abbasi, SUP leader Zain Shah, former MNA Hakeem Baloch and others also joined in the protest.

Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2021