KARACHI: The widow of Nazim Jokhio, who was bludgeoned to death at the farmhouse of a Pakistan People’s Party lawmaker in November last year, submitted an affidavit on Thursday in a Malir court pardoning those involved in her husband’s murder.

The 27-year-old from Karachi’s Malir was murdered on November 3, allegedly for filming and sharing a video of foreign nationals hunting the houbara bustard, an endangered species of bird, near his village in Thatta. The autopsy report confirmed that Jokhio was beaten violently by hard and blunt objects, which caused cardiac arrest that resulted in his death.

“The accused have been forgiven in the naem of God,” said the affidavit signed by Jokhio’s widow. It names names six individuals including Jam Awais Bijar Jokhio, the PPP lawmaker in Sindh who was the prime suspect. Jokhio’s mother also submitted a similar affidavit in the court of the Malir district and sessions judge.

The names are:

1. Muhammad Mairaj s/o Haji Abdul Hameed
2. Jam Awais Bijar & Ghuram Khan s/o Sardar Jam Bijar Jokhio
3. Muhammad Saleem s/o Muhammad Hasil
4. Muhammad Doda Khan alias Doda s/o Muhammad Ramazan Jokhio
5. Muhammad Soomar s/o Yaqoob Jokhio
6. Ahmed Khan Shoro s/o Muhammad Suleman Shoro

Jokhio’s widow Shireen had previously said that Bijar’s elder brother, a lawmaker in the National Assembly, had offered her money to withdraw the case. The Bijars are from the family that is the chief of the Jokhio tribe. On different occasions, she had also cited how she had been left alone by her family and was facing pressure to drop the case.

“If the court acquits these accused, we have no objection,” said the widow Shireen in the signed affidavit, adding that she had reconciled with them.

The affidavit added that she has four young children, while urging the court to appoint her as their guardian.

The court has adjourned the hearing of the case till October 15.