KARACHI:Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday sought the detail of Orangi Pilot Project director Parveen Rehman’s murder case from a trial court.
A two-member bench of the SHC, headed by Justice Naimtullah Phulputo, heard the bail pleas of three accused, Amjad Sawati, Ayaz Ali and Imran Sawati and adjourned them until 8th August.
Justice Phulputo remarked: “This is high profile case, I am aware that Supreme Court had also issued instruction for this case.”
However, according to the counsel of the accused, there was no evidence against the accused and that was why Joint Investigation Team (JIT) is given further six months of time.
He said that on the orders of Supreme Court, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had formed JIT to probe the murder case. He said fact arguments could not be submitted in the trial court since four months.
He said there was allegation against his client Imran Sawati on the basis of fake statement, for which sentence is more than 3 years but his client has been in prison since four years and completed the sentence but still he is in prison. ‘’Police reports have also termed my client innocent but trial court had rejected the police report,’’ he stated. However, the state prosecutor submitted to the court that FIA has conducted investigation from accused in prison.
Three accused has been in prison on judicial remand. The Orangi Pilot Project’s director Parveen Rehman was gunned down on March 23, 2013, by unidentified motorcyclists near Banaras Flyover. The project aims at providing solutions to grassroots in solving their local issues including sanitation and provision of potable water. The project is run by non-government organizations (NGOs).
In 2018, the Sindh government had approved the formation of a new joint investigation team (JIT) to probe the murder of Parveen Rehman.