SHC extends bail of Jam Abdul Karim in Nazim Jokhio case

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday extended bail of Jam Abdul Karim, a key suspect in Nazim Jokhio murder case, until April 14, ARY News reported.

The counsel of Jam Abdul Karim today submitted a plea in the court for his exemption from the court hearing. The counsel pleaded to the bench for exemption of Karim’ from the court hearing. “How could the court exempts him from the hearing,” Justice Umar Sial questioned.

“Jam Karim has been in Islamabad to cast his vote for the prime minister’s election today,” the counsel replied. “He will appear in the court after casting his vote in the next hearing,” the lawyer further said.

The court approved the exemption plea of the accused.

“Why the challan has not been submitted in the Anti-terrorism court,” the bench questioned the lawyer. “The challan was finalized and submitted in the office of the Prosecutor General’s office, but they had raised objections over it,” the investigation officer of the case replied.

“Where is the case file now,” the bench asked. “It is with me, I plead for one week to submit the charge-sheet,” the IO said. “I will submit the challan after addressing objections raised by the office of the Prosecutor General.

The bench ordered the IO to submit the challan in the court of the ATC executing Judge within one week.

The bench also extended bail of Jam Abdul Karim and other accused till April 14.

Nazim Jokhio’s body was recovered from the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) MPA Jam Awais’s farmhouse in December, last year. His family alleged that Awais, MNA Jam Abdul Karim, and their henchmen tortured him to death for filming and stopping their guests from illegal hunting of endangered houbara bustards.