Journalist Shan Dahar. Photo: Courtesy — ifex
Larkana police on Thursday arrested an absconding suspect in the murder case of journalist Zakir Hussain Dahar, popularly known as Shan Dahar, more than 12 years after the murder.
The district police spokesperson said the suspect, Irfan Brohi, was arrested during a raid near Darra crossing by Badah police station officer Abdul Ghafoor Chutto.
However, Chutto said Brohi’s lawyer showed up and submitted an application for provisional release, following which he was released.
He added that the court would confirm the interim bail or reject it at the next hearing. The decision will depend on the victim’s family: if they contest the request for bail, the court could reject it.
Read: Truth denied: How the Pakistani authorities constructed an insoluble case
Dahar worked for an Urdu news channel and was shot dead the day before on January 1, 2014, in Badah, Larkana town, in front of a medical store located on the premises of a health facility.
He was reportedly left unattended in a hospital in Larkana for more than nine hours and died later the same day.
The police first registered a case under the Anti-Terrorism Act. But they later claimed that he was hit by a stray bullet during the New Year celebration firing. However, on his deathbed at Chandka Medical College Hospital in Larkana, the journalist blamed the attack on an influential person from the Zehri tribe.
One of the accused, Nasrullah Tunio, was acquitted in 2018 due to lack of evidence, while Brohi and his brother Aamir were declared absconders and remained at large until their recent arrest. Police said Brohi had been on the run since 2014.
Dahar is survived by his wife and two daughters.
Welcoming the development, Safe Journalism called for a further thorough, independent and impartial investigation into the case, as well as the arrest of the second suspect at large, Aamir.
The organization noted that the arrest represented a “rare and significant opportunity” to advance accountability in cases involving violence against journalists in Pakistan.
Read also: The report on the assassination of the journalist revealed
This development comes weeks after Safe Journalism published an investigative report highlighting procedural flaws, omissions and inconsistencies in the police investigation. He also claimed that the suspects remained at large in Larkana for years after the murder.
While launching the report, Sindh Minister of Labour, Human Resources and Social Welfare Saeed Ghani had assured, on behalf of the chief minister, that the provincial government would take steps to help resolve the matter. Safe Journalism said Brohi’s arrest represented a “first step toward fulfilling this commitment.”
