Shahzaib murder case: SC rejects Shahrukh Jatoi's review petition
SC had nullified SHC order to remove charges of terrorism on Shahrukh Jatoi, and ordered his arrest
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Supreme Court (SC) on Monday rejected the review petition filed by Shahrukh Jatoi, prime suspect in Shahzaib murder case, against the orders to nullify the verdict of Sindh High Court (SHC).
After hearing the arguments of Jatoi’s counsel Latif Khoosa, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar said no court can review the SC’s verdict, adding that SHC wrongly interpreted the orders of top court.
CJP directed that the case should be heard by an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) and the suspect should file for bail in the court if he is innocent.
Justice Asif Saeed Khoosa highlighted that there were several weaknesses in the high court’s verdict.
Shahzeb murder case: Shahrukh Jatoi, other accused arrested on SC order
On February 1, Jatoi and two other accused were arrested again on the SC s order as the the apex court changed the appeal in Shahzeb Khan murder case into suo motu action, and nullified the SHC order to remove charges of terrorism on Jatoi. Consequently, the bail issued by SHC to Jatoi was dismissed.
SC had also ordered to place the names of the suspects on Exit Control List (ECL).
As soon as the top court announced its order, the suspects were taken into custody within the courtroom. The other suspects include Siraj Talpur and Sajjad Talpur.
Suspended SHC order
In December 2017, Jatoi and other suspects were released on bail on SHC order. The court ordered the suspects to submit surety bonds worth Rs5 lac for the approval of bail plea. The decision was made after Shahzaib’s father submitted agreement copy in the court. "Shahzaib’s family forgave (Shahrukh Jatoi) in the name of Allah. They didn’t take any cash,” brother Ashraf Jatoi said while talking to media.
“What Shahrukh Jatoi and his friends did was wrong.”
SHC had also suspended death sentences awarded to criminals Shahrukh Jatoi and Siraj Talpur, saying that the session court would look into the terror sections in the case.
Shahzaib Khan, a Karachi student was murdered in December 2012 and son of a feudal Shahrukh Jatoi among four criminals were awarded sentences by an anti-terrorism court. Jatoi and Talpur were sentenced to death while Sajjad Talpur and Ghulam Murtaza Lashari were sentenced to life imprisonments.
However, an affidavit was filed with the court by parents of the slain student, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Aurangzeb Khan and wife in 2013 pardoning both the murderers and the accomplices.
