KARACHI: The police team formed to investigate the Nazim Jokhio murder case was on Tuesday replaced with a new three-member team on the request of the victim’s brother.

Young Nazim Jokhio was brutally tortured to death allegedly at the behest of influential lawmakers and others after he tried to prevent their foreign guests from hunting houbara bustard on the outskirts of Karachi on Nov 3. His brother, Afzal Jokhio, lodged a murder case nominating Pakistan Peoples Party MPA Jam Awais Bijar and others.

During meetings with Karachi police chief Additional Inspector General Imran Yaqoob Minhas and Sindh home secretary he had expressed his dissatisfaction over the performance of the previous investigation team led by Malir SSP Irfan Bahadur.

According to an order issued by DIG Asim Khan, the complainant Jokhio appeared along with his lawyer before the city police chief and submitted an application showing his dissatisfaction on the progress of the investigation.

“He requested for constitution of a new joint investigation team comprising officers (Inspector Siraj Ahmed Lashari, DSP Ghulam Ali Jumani and SSP Tanveer Alam Odho,” the order said, adding that on the recommendation of a board constituted by the city police chief and as per relevant sections of the police law “the change of investigation of the case is approved”.

“Inspector Lashari of Hyderabad range is hereby directed to investigate the case under the supervision of Ghulam Ali Jumani, DSP of Sukkur range and overall supervision of SSP Tanveer Alam Odho to ensure early finalisation of the case purely on merit,” it concluded.

‘Family facing threats from influential’

Also on Tuesday, a programme titled ‘Negative influences of sardari system on the society and role of media’ was held at the Karachi Press Club.

Speaking on the occasion, Afzal Jokhio said that he and his family had suffered at the hands of sardars. He said his younger brother Nazim taught them a lesson to get rid of feudalism and now they would never surrender before them.

“Me and my family are aggrieved as we have been subjected to tyranny, but we will resist feudalism,” said the grief-stricken brother.

Lawyer Mohammed Khan Sheikh, who is voluntarily supporting the victim family, accused the police of deliberately spoiling the investigation.

He said they were facing threats from the influential persons, but such threats would not deter them from pursuing the path of justice.

He said they had filed an application in court seeking transfer of the murder case to an antiterrorism court as they considered it as an act of terror since the motive appeared to trigger insecurity and fear among the poor villagers.

Dr Riaz Sheikh while tracing the history of feudalism opined that the party-less general elections in 1985 dealt a severe blow to ‘progressive politics’ in the country. He claimed that the party-less polls led to regressive politics, corruption and repression in the society as the same strengthened individuals.

Rights activist Mehnaz Reman said the real issue was not feudalism as they were the “puppet of the establishment”. She believed that no real change would occur in the country till civilian supremacy was not achieved.

Dr Tauseef Ahmed, Younis Mahar and others also spoke.

Published in Dawn, November 18th, 2021