The widow of slain Nazim Jokhio gave into the pressure of powerful feudal family of Sindh on Tuesday, saying that she was pardoning all suspects — including PPP MPA Jam Awais and his brother, MNA Jam Abdul Karim — accused of her husband’s murder.
In a video message, Shireen Jokhio said she wanted to fight but had been left “all alone by her own people” adding that she had taken the decision to pardon out of compulsion and for the safety of her children.
“Only my brothers and sisters who have children can understand the pain I’m going through right now,” she said. “I haven’t received any offer for a deal… I’m not doing this for money… I’m not selfish. I’m an honest girl.”
Shireen said that she had left matters to Allah’s will but also remarked that “justice can’t be served in Pakistan.”
‘Pardon has no legal value’
Meanwhile, Advocate Mukhtar Junejo told media that Shireen’s pardon holds no legal value as she was neither the complainant in the case nor could she be considered Nazim’s legal heir.
Advocate Junejo, who is an eyewitness in the case and also represents the complainant — Nazim’s brother Afzal Jokhio — explained that Nazim’s legal heir was his mother.
“And since the mother is alive, no one else can reach a compromise with the suspects,” he said.
He further explained that terrorism charges had been added to the case. “Thus, it falls within the [ambit of] the anti-terrorism law and there is no provision for a compromise in such cases.”
Meanwhile, Shireen’s video was shared and commented on Twitter by several journalists and activists, who criticised the PPP to whom both the suspects belong.
“There was a tough competition between a widow and PPP’s provincial government. If the killer MNAs and MPAs had been jailed, democracy would have lost. Congratulations to all jiyalas,” lawyer Jibran Nasir tweeted sarcastically.
“Should we blame the poor widow or Bilawal Bhutto Zardari?” he asked.
Meanwhile, another lawyer and political commentator Reema Omer called Shireen’s statement “shameful and heartbreaking”.
“PPP is just as culpable as the perpetrators for allowing this gross injustice under its watch,” she tweeted.
Case background
Nazim Jokhio, 27, was found murdered at a Malir farmhouse of Pakistan Peoples Party MPA Jam Awais in November 2021. The MPA, his MNA brother Jam Abdul Karim and others have been booked for allegedly torturing Jokhio to death after he stopped their foreign guests from hunting houbara bustard.
Police have named the detained MPA and four others as accused in a charge sheet and shown the MNA as an absconding suspect in the case.
Last week, the Sindh High Court granted10-day protective bail to MNA Karim, who fled to Dubai, against a solvent surety of Rs100,000. The politician was directed to surrender before the trial before or till April 3.
The protective bail will help the MNA to return to the country and take part in the voting on a no-confidence motion tabled by the joint opposition in the National Assembly against the prime minister.
