In yet another development in the murder case of Nazim Jokhio, the investigation officer removed the names of 13 accused from the challan including that of Pakistan Peoples Party lawmakers Jam Awais Bijar and Jam Abdul Karim Bijar.

The removal of the names came to light when the investigation officer in the case, Siraj Lashari, submitted the challan before the judge of the anti-terrorism court. In the challan, Haider, Mairaj and Niaz have been nominated as accused in the case.

The judicial magistrate Malir had ordered to include anti-terrorism clauses in the Nazim Jokhio murder case.

The court will now decide to approve or dismiss the challan submitted by the investigation officer in the case.

Earlier this week, the Sindh High Court (SHC) had extended the bail of Jam Abdul Karim, a key suspect in the Nazim Jokhio murder case, till April 14.

In October 2021, the family of Nazim Jokhio claimed that PPP MPA Jam Awais Gohram Jokhio and his men had allegedly tortured Nazim to death as he tried to stop his foreign guests from hunting houbara bustards in the Memon Goth area of Karachi.

Later, the widow of slain Nazim Jokhio gave in to the pressure of the powerful feudal family, saying that she was pardoning all suspects accused of her husband’s murder.

In a video message, Shireen Jokhio said she wanted to fight but had been left “all alone by her own people” adding that she had taken the decision to pardon out of compulsion and for the safety of her children.

Police registered a murder case against PPP MPA Awais, his brother MNA Jam Kareem and others. They detained Awais but Jam Kareem left the country and flew to Dubai.

Police nominated detained MPA and four others as accused in their charge sheet and showed MNA Jam Kareem as an absconding suspect in the case.