Court acquits all accused in Umme Rubab Chandio family murder case

A local court in Dadu on Monday acquitted all the accused in the high-profile triple murder case involving Umme Rubab Chandio’s father, grandfather, and uncle in a seven-year-long trial.

The Model Criminal Court had reserved the verdict in the triple murder case on February 27, reportedly after conducting 400 hearings in the case that had been pending in the court for more than seven years.

The case, which had been pending in court for more than seven years, involved the murder of three male members of Umme Rubab’s family by some influential personalities in Mehar town on the charge of forming a Tamandar Council against the tribal chieftain system.

According to the case details, eight people had been accused in the triple murder case. They include Sindh Assembly member Sardar Ahmed Chandio, Burhan Khan Chandio, and Karim Bux Chandio, former SHO. Of them, four were in jail, while four were on bail.

The trial was concluded by recording the witness statements and final arguments presented in the previous hearing.

The case had gained significant national attention as Umme Rubab, in protest against the lack of justice, had topped the vehicle carrying then Chief Justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar.

However, in 2020, an Sindh Police inquiry conducted by police officer Pir Muhammad Shah had given a clean chit to the accused assembly members Sardar Chandio and his brother Burhan on charges of insufficient evidence.

Throughout the years, the case had been shifted from various courts, including the Anti-Terrorism Court in Naushahro Feroze, Sukkur, Mirpur Mathelo, and then finally to the Sessions Court in Dadu.

Speaking to reporters outside the courtroom, Umme Rubab said that she had expected this decision from a state court. However, she said that the public had already known what is true.

She said that her side had already won the case in the court of public opinion.

She further said that “all fingers are not equal,” and announced that she would take her case to the High Court and Supreme Court.