KARACHI: In a strong, principled and consensus decision, the Sindh police have decided not to entertain a ‘request’ of the provincial administration seeking removal of the investigating officer (IO) of the Nazim Jokhio murder case and appointment of a new one, it emerged on Monday.

The top police authorities believe any such move would badly damage the reputation of the law enforcement agency since all eyes are set on the conclusion of the case after the video statement of grief-stricken widow, who pardoned all suspects including Pakistan Peoples Party MPA Jam Awais and his brother MNA Jam Abdul Karim for the sake of her children and in the name of Allah.

The fresh development in the case emerged a few days ago when the Sindh home department approached the inspector general of police asking him to change the IO of the case for not complying with the “legal advice extended by the prosecutor general” and appoint a new “competent, neutral and unbiased” officer.

“The competent authority/home secretary has taken a serious view of the failure of the investigation officer to timely comply with the scrutiny note/legal advice extended by the prosecutor general Sindh and trespassing authority by directly appearing before the learned Administrative Judge Anti-Terrorism Court that has resulted in the government facing embarrassment and overall discomfiture in the prosecution of the case,” said a home department letter.

Home dept seeks removal of IO for not complying with legal advice

“I am therefore directed to convey that the competent authority/home secretary has been pleased to desire that the investigation officer be immediately removed from the case and new investigation officer, who is competent, neutral and unbiased, be appointed immediately for effective prosecution of the case,” it said.

Legal experts, however, described the letter as a “strange move” saying the prosecutor general had no right to “desire” or advise the law enforcement agency to replace an IO, as it was only the right of the police authorities to change any officer.

“The investigating officer [of Nazim Jokhio murder case] is not going anywhere,” said a source privy to the recent decision of the Sindh police on the home department’s letter.

“The reason is very simple. The Sindh police as a law enforcement agency make moves to improve performance. It’s not bound to go for the decisions in line with the advice of others for their better performances.

“Secondly, this case has gained attention at the national level. Everyone looks and follows this case. The Sindh police can’t make decisions which damage its repute,” the source said.

Referring to Jokhio’s widow Shireen’s video statement in which she said she was not capable of handling court matters and thus forgiving the accused for the sake of her children, the source said: “After this development the case has become more sensitive and sparked a public debate.”

“The Sindh police cannot afford any controversy, which becomes a source of nuisance in smooth process of the case’s investigation,” the source said.

The source said that the incumbent IO was appointed on the request of the victim’s family, which had met senior police officers a few days after the registration of the murder case and expressed their dissatisfaction over the performance of the previous investigating team.

Young Nazim Jokhio was found murdered at the farmhouse of MPA Jam Awais in Malir in November 2021. The MPA, his MNA brother Jam Karim and others were later booked for allegedly torturing Jokhio to death as he stopped their foreign guests from hunting houbara bustard.

Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2022