Court Acquits All in High-Profile Umme Rubab Chandio Family Murder Case

Following a seven-year trial, a local court in Dadu on Monday cleared all of the defendants in the well-known triple murder case of Umme Rubab Chandio’s father, grandpa, and uncle.

In a case that has garnered a lot of public attention, the Model Criminal Court allegedly reserved its decision on February 27 following 400 hearings over several years.

Three male members of the complainant, Umme Rubab’s family, were reportedly killed by certain powerful people in Mehar for organizing a Tamandar Council in opposition to the tribal chieftain system in this multi-year-old case.

Eight persons were charged with the triple murder, according to the case facts. Among them were former SHO Karim Bux Chandio, Burhan Khan Chandio, and Sardar Ahmed Chandio, members of the Sindh Assembly.

Four of the defendants were detained, and four others were released on bond.

After recording the witness testimony and hearing the closing arguments in the prior hearing, the trial came to an end.

The case became well-known across the country when Umme Rubab topped the car of Justice Saqib Nisar, the Chief Justice of Pakistan at the time, to voice her disapproval of what she saw as a lack of justice.

Sardar Chandio and his brother Burhan were cleared of all charges in 2020 after a Sindh Police investigation led by officer Pir Muhammad Shah found inadequate evidence.

The case was moved between a number of courts over time, including the Sessions Court in Dadu and the Anti-Terrorism Court in Naushahro Feroze, Sukkur, and Mirpur Mathelo.

After the verdict, Umme Rubab told reporters outside the court that a state court had rendered the decision, but she insisted that the public already knew the truth.

In the court of public opinion, she claimed, her side had already prevailed.

She went on to say that “all fingers are not equal” and said that she would appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court and the High Court.

Due to the delicate nature of the case, extraordinary security measures had been implemented before to the ruling.

Saddam Hussain Khaskheli, the Dadu Superintendent of Police (SSP), had stated that Section 144 has been implemented throughout the district on the instructions of a district and sessions judge, adding that the prohibition on gatherings of more than five individuals will continue to be in effect while the court is in session.