ISLAMABAD: In a major development, the Attorney-General of Pakistan’s (AGP) office decided to file a review petition against the acquittal of Shahrukh Jatoi — the main accused in the high-profile murder case of Shahzeb Khan.
In this regard, the AGP's Office Tuesday prepared a draft letter to convey its concerns to the apex court.
“The opinion of the Attorney-General's Office was not sought before acquitting Jatoi,” read the letter. It said that decisions related to such important constitutional matters should not be taken without consulting the AGP's Office.
The letter further said that after Jibran Nasir and other activists approached the SC against a Sindh High Court (SHC) ruling which set aside the death penalty for Jatoi and others convicted in the murder case, the AGP's Office had already declared that the matter was related to terrorism, adding that the decision of the SHC was a "violation of the SC's order.
The AGP's Office, in the letter, also said that in the decision of Jatoi's acquittal, the Supreme Court has reached a conclusion that deviates from the judicial decisions related to the crime of terrorism.
Therefore, the case should be reviewed in view of the components of compromise, fasad-fil-arz (mischief on earth), and other matters.
An Anti-Terrorism Court in 2013 awarded death sentences to Jatoi and Siraj Talpur for Shahzeb's murder, while life sentences were awarded to Sajjad Ali Talpur and Ghulam Murtaza Lashari.
However, on November 28, 2017, the murder case took a dramatic turn when SHC ordered a retrial, striking down the death penalty awarded to the convicts by the ATC and converting it into life imprisonment.
In its order, SHC stated that an act of revenge over personal enmity did not equate to an act of terrorism. They had then approached the Supreme Court against the sentences.
On December 23, 2017, Jatoi, the son of an influential feudal lord, and other defendants in Shahzeb's murder case were released from custody on bail after the deceased's father submitted an affidavit in support of the defendant's bail application.
Six individuals, including four women, involved in the attack on the team have been arrested
Police investigations lead to arrest of husband, hired killer, and two other accomplices
Various areas of country experience chilly weather as winter takes hold
Interior minister assures high-level body of extending full support on behalf of federal govt
Kamran Tessori condemns inadequate regulation of heavy vehicles, urges Sindh CM to order operation
Convicts should have been given death penalty, says deceased JUI-F leader's son
