The Sindh government prosecutor has suggested that the terrorism charge against Shahrukh Jatoi, the prime accused in the murder of Shahzeb Khan, is unfair.
The prosecutor made the remark at the hearing of Shahrukh Jatoi’s appeal against his life imprisonment sentence in the Shahzeb murder case being held at the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Shahrukh Jatoi, Siraj Talpur, and two security guards Murtaza Lashari and Sajjad Talpur were convicted of murdering Shahzeb Khan on December 24, 2012, over a petty argument.
On Thursday, a three-member bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan heard the petition against the life imprisonment of Shahrukh Jatoi and others involved in the case. All the accused appeared before the court.
During the proceedings, Sindh Prosecutor General Latif Khosa told the court that Shah Rukh Jatoi has been in jail for eight years despite a reconciliation agreement with the family of the deceased.
He claimed that it was wrong to add terrorism charges in a case involving murder and that a decision of a seven-member Supreme Court bench served as a precedent in this regard.
Khosa said that the family of the deceased have moved to Australia after the settlement.
In response to the Sindh prosecutor’s comment and the debate that ensued afterwards, Justice Ijazul Ahsan said that the questions raised in the court were important and the bench allows parties to prepare their arguments.
It was also said that if there is a need, the court would appoint an amicus curiae (friend of the court) and request the chief justice to form a larger bench, he added.
The case has been adjourned till March 10.
