The post-mortem report of slain Journalist Aziz Memon has once again raised several serious questions about the involvement of local political leaders in his murder. A meeting of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) probing the murder of journalist Aziz Memon is summoned after the post-mortem report of the victim hinted that the journalist didn’t go down without a fight.
Journalist Aziz Memon ‘put up resistance’ before he was silenced https://t.co/FTURWxElcj pic.twitter.com/A4CWIaN2UB
— 24 News HD (@24NewsHD) April 10, 2020
The post-mortem report issued by forensic experts found traces of particles of more than one person other than that of the victim under his nails. The report said that it shows that the journalist offered resistance before being murdered.
The brother of the victim, Hafeez Memon while commenting on the report said that it proves that he was killed.
Read more: Aziz Memon Murder: Sindh government forms a toothless JIT, experts raise questions
The JIT meeting was being summoned at the office of the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Shaheed Benazirabad, where the members would decide to pursue the case as per the findings of the post-mortem report.
The JIT also summoned former SHO of Mehrabpur area and others in the light of the video statement released by the journalist before his murder. The JIT has also summoned the victim’s brother.
 Memon, murdered in Sindh
Memon, a journalist associated with a regional Sindhi channel and newspaper, was found murdered in Feb, 2020 in Naushehro Feroze.
Memon’s body was recovered from a river on February 16 with a wire wrapped around his neck. The reporter had earlier accused the regional Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leadership as well as Naushehro Feroze police of threatening him for unflattering reporting of party chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s ‘train march’ in 2019.
The autopsy report came a day after the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Interior was informed that Sindhi journalist Aziz Memon had died a natural death as the medical report did not confirm any violence or poisoning.
Read more: Aziz Memon, a journalist critical of PPP, died a natural death, NA told
Hyderabad Additional Inspector General Police Dr Waliullah Dal and other police officers briefed the committee, chaired by Raja Khurram Shahzad Nawaz, that journalist Aziz Memon was the patient of hypertension, sugar and his medical report did not confirm any murder.
Aziz Memon, A Brave Journalist
Last year, Aziz Memon reported on the rented demonstrators hired for Bilawal Bhutto’s train march. He was found dead in a canal. Police suspect it to be murder by strangulation as a wire was found wrapped around his neck.
Aziz Memon was associated with Kawish Television Network News (KTN) in Interior Sindh and had reported that PPP rented hundreds of poor people from nearby villages to welcome Bilawal Bhutto during his long march on the train from Karachi to Larkana last year. These rented people were hired to arrange a sham grand welcome for Bilawal Bhutto on the railway station, crafting the optics of PPP’s wide following across Sindh.
Read more: Who killed Aziz Memon? DIG Sindh refuses to answer
In his story, he added that MNA PPP Syed Abrar Ali Shah and Town Municipal Committee Halani had hired people initially to welcome Bilawal Bhutto for Rs.2000 each but they ended giving up Rs.200 to people after which the rented demonstrators protested and he reported the incident.
A few days ago, his video informing the authorities about threats to life emerged on social media. Unfortunately, no timely action was taken by the authorities and police to save Aziz Memon’s life.
In his video, he alleged that local PPP leadership and SSP Naushero Feroze are threatening him and his family ever since he reported the story. He said his children are harassed by these people. He pleaded for shelter probably in Islamabad to save his life.
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He said he does not have any party affiliations, nor with PTI or PPP, and he is a neutral journalist that he declared in his oath as well. He also requested Bilawal Bhutto to save his life. In a message to PPP’s chairperson, he said that Bilawal Bhutto is a rational man, who must understand that like any other journalist he just reported the incident and that that was not a fabricated story because the complainants were also shown.
It is yet to be seen whether the murderers are brought before the world or not. However, analysts maintain that the PPP has conveyed a strong message to the local media houses that anyone who points out flaws in governance or politics of the PPP shall meet the same fate.