SUKKUR: Slain journalist Nasrullah Gadani’s mother and two relatives have reiterated the allegation in statements recorded under Section 164 CrPC in a Mirpur Mathelo court that Pakistan Peoples Party’s MNA and his two sons had Nasrullah killed through their men.

Ms Pathani Gadani, who was complainant in the case, and witnesses, Yaqoub Gadani and Salahuddin Gadani along with their counsel advocate Salahuddin Panhwar appeared before the second civil and first magistrate the other day and told him that PPP MNA Khalid Khan Loond, his sons, Shehbaz Loond, who was chairman of Mirpur Mathelo municipal committee, and Noor Mohammad Loond, had Nasrullah slain but the trio was so powerful that police had not dared include their names in the FIR.

They appealed to the court to bring Nasrullah’s real killers to justice as per law and serve speedy justice to the bereaved family.

Gadanis’ counsel Salahuddin Panhwar told media persons that the complainant and the witnesses had clearly stated that Nasrullah was killed at the behest of PPP MNA and his two sons.

He quoted them as saying that they were threatened and asked to stop Nasrullah from speaking against them [suspects], otherwise they [family] would receive his [Nasrullah’s] dead body.

He said that Nasrullah was a brave journalist who cared less for such threats, hence he continued exposing their crimes instead of stopping his work and finally paid the price with his death.

“We are now looking towards the leaders of PPP whether or not they are suspending memberships of the suspects as the ministers and party leaders had claimed the party would cancel membership of any party member if he was found involved in Nasrullah’s murder,” he said.

He said that they were also looking towards provincial government to see if it would have the suspects handcuffed or help them flee.

Yaqoub Gadani told media persons outside the court that they had waited for almost 40 days to have their statements recorded under Section 164.

Investigating Officer Zulfikar Mahar, SHO of Dad Laghari police station, told journalists the crucial statements having been recorded, the case would now be prosecuted in anti-terrorism court.

The SHO produced the murder suspect in the case, Asghar Loond, in the anti-terrorism court and said the judge had remanded him in judicial custody for five days and decided to hear the case on July 1.

Nasrullah Gadani, who worked for a Sindhi newspaper, was shot at and seriously wounded in an attack near his village in Ghotki district on May 21 and succumbed to fatal injuries at a Karachi hospital on May 24.

On June 9, Ghotki police claimed arresting one of the three main suspects in his murder case and recovering weapons, a motorcycle and three mobile phones used in the crime.

Published in Dawn, June 28th, 2024