LARKANA: Ghulam Murtaza Jatoi, a key leader of the opposition Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) and head the National Peoples Party (NPP), was on Monday acquitted in two cases of alleged encounter with police.

One of the cases was registered at Larkana’s Dokri police station and the other at the Badah police station of the same district.

The Additional District & Sessions Judge-I of Larkana, Habib ur Rehman Junejo, acquitted him in the two separate cases. The judge ruled that the prosecution failed to prove the charges levelled against him.

Mr Jatoi, who regularly appeared in court for the hearings of his cases, was present before the judge when the judgement was pronounced. He was represented by Mujahid Ali Jatoi and Qazi Manzoor Ahmed.

On February 20, 2025, Mr Jatoi’s wife, Mrs Naveen Jatoi, had filed a petition seeking quashment of three case viz FIR No. 02 of 2025 registered at the Dokri police station, FIR No. 09 of 2025 registered at the Badah police station , and FIR No. 17 of 2025 registered at the Hingorja (Khairpur district) police station, against her husband.

Eventually, he was granted bail and released in these cases. There are three more cases, one of them related to a murder and another one to a land issue, registered against him and pending adjudication.

Speaking to media personnel on the premises of the Larkana court, Mr Jatoi said: “I have always maintained that truth prevails and justice ultimately triumphs. Thanks God! today justice and truth have been upheld”.

The GDA leader expressed his concern over the prevailing security situation in the country amidst heightened tension along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

He noted that Pakistan had hosted hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees for many years, but terrorist activities were now being carried out against Pakistan from Afghan territory. He urged the Taliban regime to prevent use of Afghanistan’s soil for all such activities.

He said that Pakistan’s armed forces have been defending the country and that the people of Pakistan stand with their armed forces.

“If Pakistan’s borders are violated, the armed forces reserve the right to take appropriate action,” he said.

Commenting on regional developments, Mr Jatoi condemned the “unjustified aggression against Iran” witnessed over the last few days.

He also defended Iran’s retaliation in self-defence after US-Israeli aggression. He regretted that the overall loss caused by the war was being borne by the Ummah.

Published in Dawn, March 3rd, 2026