News Analysis |
A Pregnant Sindhi artist, Samina Sindhu, was shot dead on Tuesday while performing in an event in Larkana. Tariq Ahmed Jatoi, the alleged accuser in the case shot the singer, thrice, when she refused to stand and dance while singing.
The singer was soon taken to Chandka hospital where she succumbed to her injuries. Her husband, Ashiq Samoo informed the media that Samina was six-month pregnant. Samina was asked to dance, during her performance, by a man named Tariq Jatio, who killed her upon initial refusal.
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“Samina declined to dance because she was pregnant, her refusal enraged the accused who then killed her,” Samina’s husband, Ashiq Ali told media.
Her husband told the media they were there to perform at the ‘Aqeeqa’ ceremony of the sons of Niaz Junejo, who is the reader of the session court judge.
“Niaz asked my wife to stand while singing and also dance,” he said. “She was pregnant and said she couldn’t dance. She rose to stand up and continued singing. In the meantime, Niaz, who was inebriated, provoked his friend, Tariq Jatoi by saying that he just sat and watched while Samina refused his demand.”
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According to Ashiq, Tariq opened fire then and a bullet pierced through her body while he was sitting behind his wife. Ashiq said SHO Liaqat Ali was also present at the event. Kanga Police Station was just behind the venue where they were performing.
Ashiq further said, other members of their group were beaten and were robbed of 35000 rupees after the incident.
The local police initially refused to register the case and described the murder as an ‘accident’. According to the Police, Jatoi was intoxicated at the event.
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“SHO Liaquat Ali was heavily drunk at the event. He was not even in his senses. We sat in front of the SP’s office till 2 am with the body as no one listened. The next day, we sat in front of the press club,” said Ashiq.
According to him, the FIR was registered on the orders of SSP Tanveer Tunio after the media reported the case. He said SSP Tunio suspended SHO Liaqat Ali for refusing to register the case and Jatoi was arrested along with two unidentified men.
He says Sindh Police has still refused to book the real culprit,Niaz Junejo, due to his stronghold in the area.
According to a viral video of the incident SaminaSindhu was initially sitting while singing. After being ordered to stand up and dance, she managed to get up but was shot within seconds.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BhcYdzKlGIf/?hl=en&tagged=saminasindhu
The postmortem report confirmed the singer was seven-month pregnant and the bullets damaged her lungs and heart.
Sindh Human Rights Defender’s Forum Chairman, Ali Ahmed Palh, stated that the murder of Samina Sindhu was a targeted killing. He accused the police of not including the “Terrorism act” or the “Possession of illegal weapons Act” in the FIR, giving the accused leverage. He claims that her murder is an act of terrorism as she was killed publicly.
“It is not the killing of Samina but of art and music. Her murder has sent a message that Sufism, music, art, and dance are endangered in Sindh.”
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Her husband, too, has expressed dissatisfaction over the proceedings of the case.
Meanwhile, PPP District President, Abdul Fatah Bhutto, visited the bereaved family and offered condolences. He also assured the family that they will be given justice and protection.
The incident has infuriated the public as they have expressed their anger over the incident on social media. Stage performers are often subjected to humiliation and violence, as an inept justice system fails to bring the culprits to justice.
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