HYDERABAD: The Khairpur Anti-Terrorism Court on Saturday remanded Pir Syed Fayyaz Shah, an accused in a case related to the infamous young housemaid’s death case, and another suspect, Mansoor Memon, in police custody for four days. The case against the two suspects was registered under Sections 6/7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 and is offshoot of the main Ranipur murder case of housemaid Fatima Furiro which was registered vide FIR No.126/23.

Pir Fayyaz Shah and Mansoor Memon were produced in the Khairpur ATC under FIR No.127/23 registered against them under Sections 506/2, 109, 141, 142, 143, 150, 152, 504 and 505 of the Pakistan Penal Code and Sections 6/7 of the ATA, 1997.

It was registered on behalf of the state after disciples of the family of Pir of Ranipur had held a gathering within their area after registration of the Buriro murder case. At that gathering, they had issued threats of dire consequences against police, media personnel and the complainant of the murder case “for tarnishing the image of the pir family”.

According to the Ranipur SHO, Bachal Qazi, the second case was investigated by police and names of Fayyaz Shah and Mansoor Memon had surfaced during the probe.

Allegations against him relate to young housemaid’s murder case

Fayyaz Shah is the father-in-law and paternal uncle of the prime suspect in murder case, Pir Asad Shah, who is under police custody. Asad’s wife, Hina Shah, is also wanted in the case, according to the Ranipur police. Hina Shah is daughter of Pir Fayyaz. The two suspects had filed a joint protective bail application on Sept 20 in the Sindh High Court, Hyderabad circuit, and sought their pre-arrest bail as well in the main murder case (FIR. No.126/23).

According to SHC’s Sept 20 order, a division bench of the court’s Hyderabad circuit had granted protective bail to Pir Fayyaz Shah till Sept 26 while asking his counsel to satisfy how Hina Shah could be granted bail when she did not approach proper forum previously after having been granted protective bail in the same case by the court’s Sukkur bench. The court would hear the matter on Sept 26.

Fatima Furiro, a maid at Pir Asad’s Ranipur haveli, had died under mysterious circumstances in the last week of August. Her mother, Shabnam Khatoon, had claimed that her daughter was actually murdered and, therefore, she lodged such a case.

ATC order on remand

The Khairpur ATC in its order has directed the investigating officer that Pir Fayyaz Shah should be produced before SHC Hyderabad circuit bench on Sept 26 if required. While granting four-day remand of Fayyaz Shah and Mansoor Memon, the ATC judge noted that defence counsel stated Fayyaz was granted bail from Sindh High Court in crime No.126/23 but the counsel did not produce any order of the bail regarding FIR No.127/23 for which remand was being sought by investigating officer.

According to the remand order’s text, the court noted that as per investigating officer’s statement the accused were arrested on Sept 22 and proper interrogation and investigation was required.

The judge observed: “I am satisfied that accused are concerned with cognizable offence against whom information is credible and accusation is well founded so also prayer of IO is reasonable hence prayer of IO is allowed and physical custody of accused be remanded back to IO for four days from Sept 23 to 26 for interrogation”.

Published in Dawn, September 24rd, 2023