KARACHI: Afzal Jokhio, the brother of Nazim Jokhio, who was found tortured to death at the farmhouse of MPA Jam Awais Bijar, recorded his statement before a judicial magistrate on Thursday and requested removal of the name of MNA Jam Abdul Karim, the elder brother of the MPA, from the FIR. Afzal stated that MNA Jam Karim was not involved in the murder.

Initially, Afzal had nominated MPA Awais, MNA Jam Abdul Karim and others for murdering his 27-year-old brother.

On Thursday, the counsel for the complainant requested the judicial magistrate (Malir) to record statement of complainant Afzal Ahmed Sajawal under Section 164 of the criminal procedure code.

The complainant deposed that he along with his brother Nazim Jokhio waived to a vehicle in the Achar Salaar Goth, which stopped and its occupants asked who they were.

Also withdraws plea for transfer of case to antiterrorism court

He deposed that Nazim Jokhio told them that hunting in this area was prohibited, but the vehicle’s occupants said they were ‘men’ of Sardar (Jam Awais) Gohram.

The complainant deposed that the vehicle’s occupants slapped his brother Nazim, who made a video of them. Upon this, they again slapped Nazim due to which his mobile phone fell on the ground, he added.

Afzal Jokhio testified that his brother again told the visitors that hunting was prohibited there, but they did not listen to him and subsequently the people left. He said he and his brother met their elders at 4 or 5pm.

“In the meantime, my brother Nazim made a phone call to the Police Madadgar 15 while on the same day (Nov 2) at night Jamal (suspect) phoned me and asked to delete that video from my cell phone. Then Jamal gave the phone to Niaz, who told me to talk to Sardar Gohram, alias Jam Awais Bijar,” he said.

“Sardar Bijar used abusive language and asked me to bring him (Nazim),” the complainant deposed, adding that he tried to persuade his brother but he refused.

He added that then they went to the Jam House, from where Nazim sent a voice message to his lawyer Mazhar Junejo. During this time, he (Mazhar) had uploaded the video which went viral on the social media,” he added.

The complainant said later men of the landlord (Jam Awais) Dodo Salaar alias Dada, Soomar Salar and Niaz Salar took Nazim in a vehicle and also slapped him.

“We accompanied them to the Jam House, where both Jam Awais Bijar and Jam Abdul Karim were sitting in their room from where Jam Karim came out and asked who is Badmash to which my brother indicated towards himself.”

He deposed that they took away Nazim and beat him, adding that Jam Karim asked my brother to seek an apology from the Arabs (guests) but instead Nazim told him that the Arabs should seek an apology from him.

He said: “Later Jam Karim deleted the video from the mobile phone and said my brother would stay at the Jam House and told me to go to the village and bring the elders the next day, which was opposed by Nazim, but Karim insisted”.

The complainant said at 3am at night Jam Abdul Karim gave him the cell phone of his deceased brother and asked to go, telling that Nazim would stay there.

“In the meantime, my brother was taken to the room of the guards, where one guard Zahid was present outside who asked me to give him the cell phone, saying Jam Awais needed it,” he said.

The complainant said he gave the cell phone to Zahid and Niaz dropped him to his house. My brother Nazim had told him to bring Rabia in the morning also, he added.

“At 10am in morning, Saleem Salar phoned me and took me along with my maternal uncle Dur Muhammad to the Jam House in Malir, where we sat in a room where Haji Muhammad Ishaq Jokhio, wadero Haji Muhammad Khan, Meraj Jokhio, Abdul Razzaq Salar and Niaz Salar were also present.”

“Meraj informed me that my brother has passed away, then we left the place and I made a post on the social media that Jam Awais had murdered my brother,” the complainant testified.

However, the complainant told the magistrate that “at present, Jam Karim has given me an undertaking on oath that he had nothing to do with the murder of my brother, but Jam Awais (his younger brother) and others were involved.”

Therefore, he requested that the name of Jam Abdul Karim may be removed from the case as he was not involved in the murder.

Meanwhile, the magistrate remanded interned MPA Jam Awais and five other suspects in judicial custody. The new investigating officer of the case was directed to submit an investigation report on the next date.

Afzal Jokhio also withdrew an application to transfer the matter to an antiterrorism court.

Published in Dawn, November 19th, 2021