A judicial magistrate has remanded a suspect in police custody in a case pertaining to opening fire on a Sufi singer for refusing to perform more songs at a wedding ceremony.
The investigating officer produced the suspect before the judicial magistrate (Malir) to obtain his physical remand for investigation and the arrest of his accomplices. The magistrate handed over the suspect to police on a four-day physical remand with direction to produce him upon completion of the remand, according to Advocate Abdul Fatah Chandio.
An FIR has been registered at the Sachal police station under sections 324 (attempted murder), 109 (abetment) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). Complainant Amjad Ali Bhatti stated that his elder brother, Khalid Bhatti, is a Sufi singer who performs at gatherings throughout Sindh. On the request of friends, Khalid agreed to perform at the wedding of Junaid Khamtio in Sachal Goth on February 13 despite his prior commitments, the complainant said, adding that they performed until 2:30am and sought permission to leave but were asked to sing two more songs, which they did.
When they packed up to leave, the groom, Junaid, and his unidentified accomplice, on the instructions of his father Latif Khamtio, allegedly opened fire on them with the intent to kill, the complainant said. As a result, the singer’s nephew, Suhail Ahmed, suffered two gunshot wounds.
