Justice for Jokhio

The illegal hunting of houbara bustards has been making news for decades now, but little has been done in the way of change. The birds, which are native to Northern Africa, migrate to warmer temperatures in winter, and are found in the Sindh region during this time of the year. They are supposed to be a protected species, under the Wildlife Department of the Sindh Government. However, there is little protection for these poor birds in a land where even human lives have little significance.

Hunting the houbara bustard has been banned by the government, but clearly the ruling excludes Arab dignitaries, who love to hunt the bird for sport, and particularly enjoy its meat, which is an aphrodisiac. Every year, special permits are granted by Sindh government to dozens of members of Middle Eastern royalty and their delegations. It is the responsibility of the provincial governments to grant these permits according to their respective wildlife laws, but nobody has batted an eye at the multiple instances of hunters exceeding the permitted quota of birds.

The oversight by the authorities is heightened when there are feudals involved. Power is wielded in Sindh by waderas (feudal lords) posing as businessmen and politicians, who prey on the poor villagers that their families have been oppressing for generations.

The past is sprinkled with reminders of the unparalleled power of the rich. Who doesn’t remember the name of Shahzeb Khan, murdered in cold blood over a petty argument? After almost a decade of court proceedings, his murderer Shahrukh Jatoi, the son of an influential feudal landlord, has been forgiven by the victim’s family, and submitted a petition in the Supreme Court to challenge his life sentence earlier this year. Cases such as the recent Noor Muqaddam case and Shahzeb Khan’s murder are fresh in our memories, serving as a reminder that there is a good reason that the rich and powerful believe themselves to be above the law.

The Nazim Jokhio murder case is just another instance of the corruption of power in the hands of a feudal lord. After he uploaded a video showing foreign guests of a wadera (feudal lord) illegally hunting the houbara bustard, Jokhio was threatened, and asked to delete the video. Instead, he made another video, stating that he would not back down, and was not afraid of speaking out. Soon, his corpse was found in an MPA’s farmhouse in Karachi. Jokhio was tortured at length and killed to teach a lesson.

However, as it is said, three things cannot stay hidden for long: the sun, the moon, and the truth. Jokhio was punished for his pursuit of the truth. In a country where freedom of speech is under constant threat, this incident is not only about the killing of a poor man at the hands of feudal lords, but also an undisguised attempt to silence the truth.

Public support poured in soon after the body was discovered on November 3^rd, and people from all sections of society, including the ruling party highlighted the incident on social media, with the hashtag #JusticeforNazimJokhio.

After media reports and sit-ins by the deceased’s family at the National Highway, the police took notice of the incident, and the main accused Jam Awais, a member of Sindh Assembly from Pakistan People’s Party, was caught and remanded by the Court on November 10^th.

The leadership of PPP, including the party president Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, usually outspoken against injustice, were noticeably quiet about the matter. However, Bilawal has not refrained from tweeting about his political victories in the meantime. The political party came under fire from the combined opposition in a Provincial Assembly session on the 16^th of November, where they attempted to silence the other side without much success.

The provincial government seems to have their own priorities. Not only has the PPP not condemned the murder, but they have also ignored the deceased’s plea to save the endangered birds from hunters. Two weeks after Jokhio’s death, it was revealed that the Sindh Government approved permits to 14 Arab dignitaries to hunt houbara bustards in different regions of the province. The decision was approved in a Cabinet meeting days before Jokhio died. The UAE president, and the King of Bahrain were among the list of foreign dignitaries.

The Jokhio family is not willing to back down. There have been more threats to the family since the complainant registered a murder case in court. Jokhio’s wife has said that she is ready to fight for justice until her last breath. The deceased’s brother Afzal Jokhio has also actively pursued justice, and moved an application to shift the case to Anti-terrorism court, which is pending ruling. He also asked for a new investigation team to replace the existing eight-member team, which the court accepted.

While the situation is gloomy, there is also cause for hope. In the last two weeks, along with the arrest of the accused, the police has discovered key evidence including Jokhio’s phone and clothes. Although we are still nowhere close to the justice that Nazim Jokhio and his family deserve, it is a win nonetheless. The first step has been taken. It is now in the hands of the authorities, and the law enforcement agencies to bring justice.

The writer is Sub-Editor, Bol News