A Tale of Two Murders

By: Ahmed Zulqurnain

This isn’t merely a tale of two murders separated by time; it’s the story of 77 years of atrocities, evasion of justice, and the wielding of wealth and power to silence the truth. We live in a country where the scales of justice are often tipped by those who hold the most power and wealth.

Twelve years ago, a bright young man, Shahzeb Khan, was brutally murdered by Shahrukh Jatoi and three others on the evening of December 25, 2012. On August 19, 2024, Natasha Danish struck and killed Amna Arif and her father, Imran Arif, while driving an SUV. You might wonder how these two cases are related. The significant similarity between them is that both perpetrators come from wealthy and influential families.

Shahrukh Jatoi, son of feudal Sikander Jatoi, a wealthy man hailing from the Sindh and Natasha Danish, wife of Danish Iqbal, CEO Gul Ahmed Power limited.

Shahzeb Khan was a Media Sciences student at Greenwich University, Karachi. He was his parents’ only son, and his only ‘crime’ was standing up to Shahrukh Jatoi to protect his sister’s honor. Shahrukh Jatoi, along with others, had been harassing Shahzeb’s sister. Shahzeb confronted Shahrukh and his men, but the quarrel was stopped by the intervention of Shahzeb’s father, and both parties went their separate ways. However, the fire of revenge burned in Shahrukh’s heart as he resolved to kill Shahzeb.

Unaware of Shahrukh’s intentions, Shahzeb later went to meet his friends, not knowing that Shahrukh Jatoi was following him. After reaching Mubarak Masjid, Shahrukh and his men opened fire, and Shahzeb was killed. Shahrukh then fled the country. A wave of outrage spread on social media against Shahrukh and his gang. The trial began in an anti-terrorism court, where Shahrukh and his friend Siraj Talpur were charged under Section 302 and sentenced to death.

But the story didn’t end there. Just months after Jatoi was sentenced to death by the Anti-Terrorism Court, on September 29, 2013, he was pardoned by Shahzeb’s parents. They submitted an agreement to the court, explicitly stating that they had not accepted blood money. This decision was met with fierce opposition, sparking outrage across various media platforms. Activists and supporters, who had tirelessly sought justice for Shahzeb, were left disheartened, feeling that their efforts had been in vain. Ambreen Aurangzeb, Shahzeb’s mother, later explained, ‘We cannot spend our entire lives in fear. We made this decision considering the circumstances.‘ In October 2022, Shahrukh Jatoi was acquitted by the Supreme Court of Pakistan, which stated that an agreement had been reached between both parties, invoking the Islamic law of “Diyyat”. This moment illustrates how Shahrukh Jatoi, with his wealth and influence, managed to tip the scales of justice in his favor.

On the evening of August 19, 2024, a father was taking his daughter home, unaware of the tragedy that was about to occur. Suddenly, a white Land Cruiser came speeding in and struck both the father and daughter. The driver lost control and crashed into a parked car. Both Amna Arif and Imran Arif died on the spot. The driver, a woman under the influence of some substance, was arrested by the police. After investigation, it was revealed that her name is Natasha Danish, the wife of Danish Iqbal, who owns Gul Ahmed Power Limited.

According to early reports, Natasha’s lawyer claims she is mentally ill. When asked about her driving license, her lawyer, Amir Mansoob, stated that Natasha is a British citizen and holds a British driving license, but this license has yet to be presented in court. Similar arguments were made in the Noor Muqadam murder case, where the defense argued that Zahir Jaffer was mentally ill and an American citizen, claiming Pakistani laws did not apply to him. However, he was still sentenced to death.

This raises the question: how can a mentally ill person hold a British driving license? Or is this another attempt to assert that the privileged class is above the law, implying, ‘This is our country, and with our money, we make our own laws and rules’? On social media, people are questioning why the influential figures of Karachi remain silent and are not demanding justice for Amna Arif and Imran Arif. ARY and The Express Tribune are facing backlash after deleting articles, stories, and videos related to the case. It appears that the media houses have bowed to the pressure of Pakistan’s influential elite.

In Natasha’s case, she is charged under Section 322 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), which states that whoever commits Qatal-al-Sabab shall be liable to Diyat (compensation). Now, we must wait and see what happens next in this case. Is this going to be a repeat of the Shahzeb Khan Murder case, or will we witness the triumph of justice?

This case is a test of the judicial system of Pakistan. Once again, the judiciary stands at a crossroads. Will they repeat what they did in the cases of Raymond Davis and Shahrukh Jatoi, or will they make an example out of Natasha Danish? The time has come to send a clear message to the elite and feudal class of Pakistan: the common man in this country is not an insect. You cannot simply kill them and walk away from justice.

The writer is a freelance columnist. He can be reached at artillery0508@gmail.com