Probe continuing into ‘extrajudicial killings’ in Marri Jalbani village, SHC told

An inquiry committee, headed by the Hyderabad commissioner and constituted to probe the alleged extrajudicial killings of four persons by personnel of law enforcement agencies in Marri Jalbani village in Sakrand, is continuing its progress, the Shaheed Benazirabad SSP told Sindh High Court on Thursday.

Filing comments on a petition seeking a judicial probe into the killing of villagers, the SSP submitted that the chief minister of Sindh had constituted the three-member committee to probe the incident and the inquiry was in progress.

He submitted that the police did not abduct any villagers from the village as was alleged, and requested the court to dispose of the petition as grievance of the petitioner had been redressed after the constitution of the inquiry committee.

The petitioner’s counsel, Syed Haider Imam Rizvi, also placed on record reports prepared by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. A division bench headed by Justice Naimatullah Phullpoto directed the investigation officer to appear before the court along the investigation reports on November 1.

Senior advocates Rasheed Razvi, Zulfiqar Ali Jalbani and Aaquib Rajpar submitted in the petition that four persons were killed and nine others, including women, injured in the incident that took place on September 29.

They submitted that there were contradictory statements with regard to the incident, as on the one hand it was stated that alleged militants of the Sindhudesh Revolutionary Army were killed in the operation of police and Rangers, while on the other hand the Sindh United Party’s general secretary said that those killed were supporters of the SUP and they were killed during a protest for the release of detained student Liaquat Jalbani, who was in the custody of LEA personnel and brought to the Marri Jalbani village in the Benazirabad district.

They said that as per media reports the SUP’s Benazirabad district president identified the dead as Akhan Ali, his brother Nizamuddin, Mehar and Sajawal, while Allahdad and his other son Imamuddin received injuries.

They said two versions had been narrated in the FIRs registered by villagers and the police against each other; besides, there are many other aspects of the incident which are contrary. The advocates said the instant petition aimed to prevent violations of constitutional and legal rights of significant numbers of individuals, who may be economically or socially disadvantaged, poor or lacking in knowledge.

The court was requested to direct the chief secretary to constitute a judicial commission under the supervision of a high court judge in the interest of justice, equity and good conscience and comprising other relevant experts and persons to give its findings after probing the incident and fix responsibility. They also sought release of villagers who were allegedly illegally detained after the operation.