KARACHI: A lawyer shot dead his estranged wife during hearing of her khula, or dissolution of marriage, case in a court on the premises of the City Courts on Monday.

The City Courts police and lawyers said that the incident took place inside the chamber of the judicial magistrate XII (central), where all parties were present for the pre-trial hearing of the dissolution of marriage case.

They said that suspect Sikander Sahto fired at her wife Saima, 24, and also hit his father-in-law Dadan Sahto, 54, who is also his maternal uncle, with the butt of his pistol in the presence of the magistrate.

The police claimed to have arrested the suspect and recovered a pistol from his possession.

Inquiry ordered as to how an armed man entered court premises despite security checks

City SSP Arif Aziz told Dawn that the held suspect was a lawyer who practiced in Islamabad. He said he managed to enter the City Courts by using his credentials as a lawyer and concealed the pistol in his files.

He said that during the hearing of the case the suspect took out his pistol and fired at his wife in an attempt to kill her.

The injured woman was shifted to the Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi, where she died during treatment on Monday night.

Police Surgeon Summaiya Syed said that the victim suffered bullet wounds in the abdomen.

Disputes over child custody, property

The SSP said that both families originally hailed from Khairpur and they had a property dispute in their native place.

He said that it was a case of watta satta (exchange) marriage as the suspect’s sister was married to his wife’s brother who had recently divorced his wife.

He said that besides seeking divorce, the couple had also a dispute over the custody of their three children and his wife was reportedly not allowing the suspect to meet them.

‘Negligence of police’

Karachi police chief Javed Alam Odho has taken notice of the “negligence and carelessness of the police inside City Courts” and ordered an inquiry into the incident.

He said he wanted to know as to how a suspect brought a weapon inside the court despite security arrangements.

He also ordered a departmental action against police officers over their alleged negligence.

When asked whether it was a case of negligence of policemen on duty, he said that lawyers did not give permission to police for security checking.

However, Karachi Bar Association General Secretary Waqar Alam Abbasi told Dawn that around 150 policemen were deputed for the security of the City Courts, but hardly 50 of them were seen performing their duties.

Earlier in January, a 19-year-old woman was shot dead by her father in the name of so-called honour at the entrance of the City Courts.

Published in Dawn, May 30th, 2023