ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court of Pakistan yesterday acquitted Shahrukh Jatoi in 2012 Shahzeb Khan murder case along with other accused persons. Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan headed three-member bench as it heard case During hearing, Jatoi’s counsel Latif Khosa argued “parties have already reached an agreement.”  “Accused had no intention of spreading terror,” he added, “murder event was presented as a case of terrorism”.

Incident Shahzeb Khan, 20-year-old son of former deputy superintendent of police Aurangzeb Khan, was gunned down on Saba Avenue in Karachi’s Defence Housing Authority on night of December 24, 2012. An employee of accused verbally harassed his sister. He confronted accused and demanded an apology.

 Accused, however were remorseless and refused to apologise for behaviour of their employee. Issue was apparently resolved when Shahzeb’s father intervened and tried to pacify both his son and other party.

Soon after, Shahzeb left his house in his car and was on Saba Avenue when accused chased him down and shot him dead in public. In June 2013, an anti-terrorism court awarded death penalty to Shahrukh and Siraj Talpur, while Sajjad Talpur and Ghulam Murtaza Lashari were given life imprisonment.  A few months after verdict, however, victim’s father granted pardon to accused. Reportedly, pardon was granted under duress. –Online

Published in The Daily National Courier, October, 19 2022

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