The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday stopped the police from arresting Ghulam Murtaza Jatoi and his family and sought a reply from the police authorities on the next hearing. The SHC heard the petition against the police raids and harassment at the house of former Federal Minister Ghulam Murtaza Jatoi. The court stopped the police from registering a case against the former minister and ordered that a case not be filed without informing the court. The court also asked the Inspector General of Sindh (IG), Deputy Inspector General (DIG), and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) South to explain the matte at the next hearing. The lawyer of the petitioner told the court that the Sindh police officials were raiding the petitioner's houses, harassing him and family members in false cases. The petitioner's lawyer appealed to the SHC that the harassment by the Sindh police should be stopped. Last Wednesday, police raided the DHA home of Ghulam Murtaza Jatoi, a former federal minister and opposition leader in order to apprehend his son who has been charged with murder. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leadership was accused by the Jatoi family and opposing parties of victimizing their political rivals, and they denounced the action.

The raid was carried out by the Naushahro Feroze police to apprehend Bilawal, the son of Murtaza Jatoi, as South SSP Sajid Amir Sadozai confirmed the media. According to the police, leader of the Grand Democratic Alliance Murtaza Jatoi and his son Bilawal were the subject of a murder investigation; the elder Jatoi was granted bail, but his son was not. Naveen Jatoi, Bilawal's mother, told the media that at about 3:15 am, about 25 police vans surrounded Jatoi House in DHA and also "misbehaved" with her. Naveen claimed that earlier their residence in New Jatoi was raided by more than six dozens police vans including armoured personnel carriers. She accused the PPP leadership of political victimisation and said such tactics aimed at forcing her husband to join the ruling their party. She also said the police registered murder case against Murtaza and Bilawal at the behest of the PPP leadership. The Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) leadership including Dr Safdar Abbasi, Zain Shah, Ayaz Latif Palijo, and Dr Fahmida Mirza had condemned the raid on the residence of Jatoi.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan