ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday expressed its displeasure over the lack of progress in the Perween Rahman murder case despite its orders for trial proceedings.
Perween Rahman, head of the Orangi Pilot Project, was shot dead near her office in Karachi’s Orangi Town in March 2013.
A two-judge bench headed by Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed noted that while no progress is being made in the case, the court is being assured that all is well in the matter.
The judge suggested for a joint investigation team to be made to probe the matter, lamenting that the case has been pending for the past five years.
In the hearing, the Sindh government’s lawyer informed the court that a JIT was formed in the case and a trial had been ordered in light of its report.
The bench adjourned the case until November 6 and ordered that the applicant in the case, Aqeela Ismail be provided complete security, adding that if the orders were not followed, those found responsible would not be spared.
On March 13, 2013, Perween Rahman was on her way home from her office when unidentified assailants approached her car on a motorcycle on Manghopir Road near Banaras Flyover and opened fire. She received gunshot wounds in her neck and was rushed to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital by her driver where she succumbed to her injuries.
Following several delays, on March 22 this year the Sindh police conceded before the SC that Rahman’s murder was conspired by those threatened by her efforts against land grabbing and her championing of the Goth Abad scheme.
The report by the JIT appointed to probe the murder of Rahman was furnished by DIG West Amir Farooqi.
Later, on March 29, an anti-terrorism court indicted five accused in the case, including Ayaz Shamzai alias Swati, Mohammad Amjad Hussain Khan, Ahmed Khan alias Ahmed Ali alias Pappu Kashmiri, Mohammad Imran Swati and Mohammad Raheem Swati.
They pleaded not guilty and opted to contest the charges against them. Subsequently, the trial court summoned the prosecution witnesses to record their statements.
However, it emerged on June 28 that the trial in the case was yet to begin as police remained unable to produce witnesses and have also failed to provide them security despite the SC’s directives.
