In a significant development from Dadu, lawyer Umme Rubab Chandio has announced her intention to contest the acquittal of eight individuals in the Mehar triple murder case at the Sindh High Court (SHC). The model criminal court cleared all accused on Monday after an arduous legal struggle lasting eight years.
Addressing the media, Umme Rubab expressed unwavering determination to pursue justice despite the court’s decision. She criticized the verdict as an injustice and vowed to escalate the matter to higher judicial forums. She lamented the prevailing power dynamics in Sindh, stating that the province’s sardars effectively hold a license to kill anyone opposing the tribal chieftain system without facing accountability.
She further warned that the implications of this ruling extend far beyond her own family, impacting oppressed communities throughout Sindh. “I am resilient,” she affirmed. “This verdict has only strengthened my resolve, and I am confident that justice will ultimately prevail.” Umme Rubab confirmed plans to take the case to both the High Court and the Supreme Court, while asserting that she has already won the moral battle in the eyes of the public.
The court acquitted prominent Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) figures, including Sardar Ahmed Chandio, his brother Burhan Khan Chandio, former SHO Karim Chandio, and others: Sattar Chandio, Ali Gohar Chandio, Murtaza Chandio, Sikandar Chandio, and Zulfiqar Chandio. Security was notably tight in and around the court during the announcement of the verdict.
The tragic incident occurred on January 17, 2018, in Mehar, Sindh, when armed assailants attacked a residence, killing Umme Rubab’s father, grandfather, and uncle. The victims were Raees Karamullah Chandio, then chairman of Baldia Union Council in Mehar taluka, and his two sons—Mukhtiar Chandio, a district council member, and another son affiliated with the Tumandar Council.
The family alleges that the attack was orchestrated by Sardar Ahmed Chandio, a tribal leader in Mehar, and his younger brother Burhan Chandio, who was serving as an aide to the Sindh chief minister at the time. Despite facing death threats, Umme Rubab has persistently sought justice for her slain relatives.
The case gained national prominence in 2021 when a video circulated on social media showing a barefoot Umme Rubab leaving a courtroom, during which she accused the Sindh government of shielding those responsible for her family’s murders.
