HYDERABAD, Dec 5: Father of Naveed Sheikh, who was killed under mysterious circumstances, refused an out-of-court settlement with the father of the prime accused.

According to details, father of the accused has denied that his son had murdered Sheikh on Oct 27.

“We have our own customs in which the accused has to first admit the murder and only then we forgive him. But Jordanian national Mohammad’s father, declined to concede that his son had murdered Naveed Sheikh and offered money for the blood that’s why we refused it”, Bashir Sheikh, father of Naveed Sheikh, told Dawn from Sukkur over phone.

A meeting between Jordanian embassy officials, Mohammad Bin Abdullah’s father and Naveed Sheikh’s family members was sponsored by Federal Health Minister Ejaz Jakhrani for an out-of-court settlement a few days back in Islamabad.

Sheikh confirmed that during the meeting Mohammad Bin Abdullah’s father asked for forgiveness to which he replied to the federal health minister that as per their custom the accused had to first confess and only then he would be pardoned. “Since the other party refused to admit the guilt, I also refused to compromise because I don’t want to take money. I told the federal health minister, who is our elder, that since they are not ready for it the issue can’t be settled”, he said.

Bashir Sheikh’s uncle had also asked the Jordanians that a mosque or a Madressah should be built in memory of Naveed Sheikh in Shikarpur but this proposal was also not accepted. Sheikh claimed that as per his own findings there were four accused in the case including Mohammad Bin Abdullah, Shagufta Ansari and two others.

Meanwhile, civil judge and judicial magistrate-X treated interim challan report in above mentioned murder case as final one because police have not yet submitted final challan despite lapse of a month. The investigating officer of the case, Naik Mohammad, had sought more time form the court for submission of final challan on the ground that report of second autopsy has not yet been received from Shikarpur. The court had sought opinion from deputy district attorney in this regard.

According to the defence counsel, Zahoor Baloch, the deputy district attorney told the court that the interim challan could be treated as a final one because over one month has passed but police has not submitted the challan against accused, who are languishing in jail.

The exhumation of Naveed Sheikh’s body was ordered in the wake of recommendation of medical board formed on the request of deceased’s father by director-general health services Sindh. Sheikh was found dead on Oct 27 on 7th floor of Al-Amna complex, Cantonment area Hyderabad.

Hearing on the bail applications of two accused is fixed for Saturday.