Nazim Jokhio murder: Brother withdraws complaint against MNA Jam Abdul Karim

• Afzal Jokhio records his statement under Section 164 of Criminal Procedure Code during a hearing in the court of the Malir judicial magistrate.
• Investigation officer moves the court to extend physical remand of the arrested suspects.
• Court disposes of plea seeking inclusion of Anti-terrorism Act sections in the case on Afzal's request.

KARACHI: In a surprising development in the Nazim Jokhio murder case, the petitioner of the deceased, his brother Afzal Jokhio, has withdrawn his complaint against PPP MPA Jam Awais's elder brother, MNA Jam Abdul Karim.

MNA Abdul Karim was nominated as a suspect in the case on November 9 and acquired protective bail from the Balochistan High Court on November 12.

The development, on Thursday, came as Afzal Jokhio recorded his statement during a hearing in the court of the Malir judicial magistrate.

At the outset of the hearing, six arrested suspects, including prime suspect Jam Awais were presented before the court.

Inspector Siraj Lashari informed the court that the investigation was handed over to him yesterday and the former investigation officer (IO) Mujtaba Bajwa will no longer handle the case.

The new IO, Lashari, then moved a plea seeking a 14-day extension in the physical remand of the arrested suspects.

He said that the post-mortem report of the deceased hasn't been received yet.

On November 9, the police had told the court that besides three suspects — PPP MPA Jam Owais, Haider, and Meher Ali — who have been arrested, an additional 11 people have been nominated in the case.

They added that the prime suspect PPP MPA Jam Owais' older brother, MNA Jam Abdul Karim, is also among those to have been nominated.

Meanwhile, Afzal during today's hearing, while recording his statement under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code, said that MNA Abdul Karim "is not involved in my brother's murder," and requested the court to remove the lawmaker's name from the case.

"MNA Jam Abdul Karim Bijar swore to me that he is not involved in my brother's murder," said Afzal, adding that PPP MPA Jam Awais and others nominated "are involved in the murder".

Meanwhile, the court disposed of Afzal's plea seeking the inclusion of terrorism clauses in the case.

'They must have intimidated Afzal'

Nazim’s widow expressed concerns regarding Afzal’s statement, saying that he might be under pressure.

“They must have intimidated [Afzal] to record the statement,” she said.

She further stated that she will “never forgive” MNA Abdul Karim.

Push for terrorism clause to be included

The Judicial Magistrate Malir, holding a hearing on the case on November 9, had asked the investigation officer to examine whether the incident merits the inclusion of a terrorism clause and to examine it from all possible angles. The investigation officer briefed the court on the process and criteria involving the inclusion of a terrorism clause.

He was asked to submit a progress report at the next hearing.

The petitioner had asked that a terrorism charge be included by the police and that Jam Awais be charged for aiding and abetting the murder.

The incident

Nazim Jhokio had stopped a car near his village in Thatta that bore a foreign number plate and asked the people sitting inside the vehicle why they blocked the road and what they were doing there. A verbal brawl ensued. Nazim was given death threats and they tried to snatch his mobile. He somehow managed to escape from the scene at the time.

According to his brother, Afzal, Nazim had broadcast a live stream on social media of a hunting expedition involving foreign guests of PPP MPA Jam Awais.

Later, the PPP MPA called him to his house, where he was brutally tortured, Nazim's family claim.

The police recovered Nazim's body from Memon Goth in Malir on November 3.