The Sindh High Court on Monday approved a petition seeking disqualification of Jam Awais MPA, an accused of Nazim Jokhio murder, for immediate hearing. The court directed fixing the plea for hearing, one week, after summer vacations of the court. The high court had earlier served notices to respondents over the petition summoned their reply within three weeks. Jam Awais Gohram, Speaker Sindh Assembly, Chief Secretary Sindh and the election commission were made party in the petition filed by Barrister Ali Tahir.

“Jam Awais has paid Diyet (blood money) to the family of the deceased in the murder case,” according to the petition. “After paying Diyet Jam Awais didn’t remain truthful and trustworthy,” petitioner said. “Trial court has in its decision wrote that PPP MPA, by paying Diyet has confessed his crime,” Barrister Ali Tahir said. “According to clause 53 of the Pakistan Penal Code, Diyet is punishment,” petitioner argued.

Petitioner seeks court order to the Speaker Sindh Assembly for sending disqualification reference against Jam Awais, a member of the assembly. “He must be de-notified as member of the house over not being truthful and trustworthy,” petitioner said. PPP MPA Jam Awais Gohram Jokhio and his men were booked in October 2021 for torturing an activist, Nazim Jokhio to death, as he tried to stop his foreign guests from illegal hunting of houbara bustard, an endangered specie, in the Memon Goth area of Karachi.

The family of deceased Nazim Jokhio in an affidavit filed in court consented to pardon Jam Awais and others in the high-profile murder case. “We have reached to a compromise with the accused, the court may acquit them,” an affidavit of Shireen Jokhio, widow of Nazim Jokhio, read.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP