HYDERABAD: The Special Anti-Corruption (Pro­vin­cial) Court on Friday acquitted Malik Changez Khan, his brother, cousins and others in 15-year-old cases pertaining to land fraud and forgery in Jamshoro district.

The accused were char­ged with acquiring around 1,000 acres through fraudulent means in Thana Bula Khan, district Jam­shoro. The cases were registered against them in 2011 and 2013. Malik Chan­gez and other accused were represented by their counsel Khuda Bux Leghari and Zulfiqar Abbasi.

Defence counsel Leghari said that FIRs were lodged in Jamshoro which dealt with transfer of government land in the names of different people for which Malik Changez was held responsible. He said that these FIRs were false and allegedly lodged at the behest of their arch-rival Malik Asad Sikander.

He contended that the entire case was prepared on the basis of photocopies, which were not admissible under the Qanoon-i-Shahadat Order. Advocate Abbasi argued that it was a case of pure political rivalry and the Sindh High Court had quashed six identical FIRs previously. He said that the prosecution did not produce any original record regarding the case, while there was a delay in registration of the FIRs.

It may be recalled here that Malik Changez had on Feb 25 announced joining the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party during a meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Sindh Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro and Hyderabad Mayor Kashif Ali Shoro.

Published in Dawn, March 1st, 2026