Shahzeb murder case: SC to hear petition against SHC verdict tomorrow

KARACHI (92 News) – The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) will tomorrow take up petition of the civil society challenging the Sindh High Court’s (SHC) verdict that set aside the sentences awarded to Shahrukh Jatoi and other accused in Shahzeb Khan murder case. The apex court formed a three-member larger bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Mian Saqib Nisar and comprising Justice Faisal Arab and Justice Sajjad Ali Shah. The larger bench will hear petition of the civil society challenging the Sindh High Court’s (SHC) verdict that set aside the sentences awarded to Shahrukh Jatoi and other accused in Shahzeb Khan murder case. Earlier, a petition was filed by 10 civil society activists in the SC registry, challenging SHC’s verdict which stated that the murder case does not fall within the jurisdiction of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997. The activists include Muhammad Jibran Nasir, Jamshed Raza Mahmood, Afiya Shehrbano Zia, Naeem Sadiq, Nazim Fida Hussain Haji, Zulfiqar Shah, Aquila Ismail, Fahim Zaman Khan, and Naziha Syed Ali. The SHC set aside the death penalty for Shahrukh Jatoi and others convicted in the Shahzeb Khan murder case. The civil society activists in their petition had stated that as they reside in Defense Housing Authority, where the murder took place, they have the right to appeal. They said that incident was not just of an individual nature and created fear and panic among residents of the area.