QUETTA: A district and sessions judge on Thursday granted bail to former Balochistan home minister Nawabzada Gazain Marri in the murder case of a senior judge of the Balochistan High Court, Justice Nawaz Marri.
Following the murder of Justice Marri, Nawabzada Gazain Marri, Hyrbayar Marri and others were nominated in the FIR [First Information Report].
During Thursday’s hearing, District and Sessions Judge Rashid Mehmood approved bail of the former provincial home minister against a surety bond worth Rs1 million.
Gazain Marri, son of late Baloch politician Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri, ended his self-imposed exile in October and returned to Pakistan after 18 years. However, soon after his arrival, the police arrested him in the Justice Nawaz Marri murder case.
Justice Nawaz Marri was killed in an attack on January 7, 2000, in the Zarghoon road area of Quetta.
Gazain is currently being held in District Jail, Quetta and faces charges in another case regarding his alleged links with a banned militant outfit — a claim he has vehemently denied.
The deputy commissioner of Quetta had detained Gazain under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order when he was granted bail by a court in Balochistan’s Sibi district.
Earlier in June, Marri had confirmed his plans of ending his self-imposed exile and also said that he will face the cases against him.
“My hands are clean; I’ve nothing to do with BLA,” he said, stating further, “I was wrongly booked in the murder case of Justice Nawaz Marri.”
Gazain, a former home minister and younger brother of Nawab Changez Marri, said he would decide his future course of action after discussing the issue with other stakeholders.
“I am returning to my country after spending 18 years in exile on Sept 22,” he had said, adding that nobody should be afraid of his return as he was not bringing a tank or a force with him.
He explained that he had gone into exile on his father’s instructions.
“I made attempts to return home earlier and serve the people but was faced with roadblocks every step of the way,” Marri said.
“Some people are scared of my return. I want to clarify that I have no personal designs or objectives. I accept the ground realities prevailing in the province and will live with them,” he concluded.
