KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Karachi on Monday ordered to shift the investigation into the murder of a young journalist to a district and sessions court.
Nazim Jokhio, 26, was allegedly tortured to death at the farmhouse of a Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) lawmaker Jam Awais Khan Jokhio in November last for trying to prevent his guests from illegal hunting endangered houbara bustard.
An autopsy had found severe torture marks and bruises all over the body of the deceased.
The victim’s brother, Afzal Jokhio, had nominated Awais and his older brother Jam Abdul Karim, also a PPP lawmaker, as well as their guards for murdering Jokhio.
Months into the investigation, the investigating officer in the case, Inspector Sirajuddin Lashari, said in April the case did not concern an act of terrorism. Therefore, it may be transferred from an anti-terrorism court to an ordinary sessions court for conducting the trial.
Subsequently, on April 30, the ATC reserved its verdict on the fate of the challan in the case.
On Monday, the court also directed the investigation officer to present the challan in the sessions court.
