KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday granted protective bail to Pakistan Peoples Party’s MNA Khalid Ahmad Loond and his two sons in journalist Nasrullah Gadani murder case.

A double bench headed by Justice Zulfiqar Ahmad Khan granted the bail to the MNA, his sons Shahbaz Ahmad Khan Loond and Noor Mohammad Khan Loond for 10 days against a surety bond of Rs50,000 each.

The court directed the applicants to surrender before the court concerned as the bail application was being allowed without touching the merit of the case. “The applicants are directed to surrender before the trial court concerned in the aforesaid period. This order shall cease to have its effect after expiry of 10 days from today or when the applicants surrender before the trial court concerned, which one occurs earlier,” said the order.

It said: “It is made clear that in case the applicants failed to surrender before the trial court within the aforesaid period, their bail bonds shall stand forfeited.”

Earlier on Thursday, Nasrullah Gadani’s mother and two relatives reiterated the allegation against the accused in their statements recorded under Section 164 CrPC before a judicial magistrate in Mirpur Mathelo.

Ms Pathani Gadani, who was the complainant in the case, and witnesses, Yaqoub Gadani and Salahuddin Gadani told the judge that PPP MNA Khalid Khan Loond, his sons, Shehbaz and Noor Mohammad, had Nasrullah killed but the trio was so powerful that police did not dare include their names in the FIR.

Nasrullah, 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 gunshot wounds 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 29th, 2024