Arshad Sharif murder: JIT to be constituted after FIR lodged on SC’s orders
Pakistan
Three accused have been nominated in senior journalist Arshad Sharif’s assassination case
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Three accused have been nominated in senior journalist Arshad Sharif’s assassination case after Supreme Court directed the government to lodge a first information report (FIR) of the cold-blooded murder.
Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Umer Ata Bandial had ordered to lodge an FIR after terming Sharif’s medical report as unsatisfactory. The FIR has been lodged with Ramna police station in the capital.
According to police, three people including Waqar Ahmed s/o Afzal Ahmed, Khurram Ahmed s/o Afzal Ahmed and Tariq Ahmed Wasi s/o Muhammad Wasi have been nominated in the FIR.
According to the FIR, Sharif mortal remain were transported to Pakistan from Kenya and a medical board conducted postmortem. The FIR also stated that four samples were sent to the lab by the board and it autopsy report stated that the senior journalist died of gunshot wounds and was killed in Kenya.
On the other hand, the federal capital police decided to constitute a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) comprising of DIG Headquarters, SP Sadr and Station House Officer (SHO) of the concerned police station.
Sources further said that officials of the secret agencies have also been included in the JIT.
SC directs govt to register FIR
Earlier today, the apex court directed the government to register a first information report (FIR) of the 23rd October brutal killing of senior journalist Arshad Sharif. A five-member larger SC bench comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi and Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar heard the suo moto notice case of Arshad Sharif’s killing in Kenya.
During the course of proceedings, the court declared the medical report of the victim Arshad Sharif as unsatisfactory and ordered to register the case of his murder by tonight.
Addressing the Additional Attorney General (AAG), the CJP said a fact-finding committee was formed over the matter, which had returned from Kenya since long. He asked why the final report of the government formed commission had not been provided to the SC.
He said senior doctors had prepared the victim’s medical report but it was not satisfactory. Every human life had to be taken seriously, he added. He said the mistreatment of journalists could not be tolerated in any case.
The AAG said Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah was in Faisalabad when the report was received. The report would be presented before to the court once the minister perused it, he added.
The CJP asked whether the interior minister had to make changes in the report. The court could summon the minister also, he added.
He observed that it was the government’s job to investigate not that of the judiciary. A journalist was killed and it should be revealed who was behind his killing, he added.
The additional attorney general said the report would be submitted by tomorrow. Upon this, the CJP directed him to submit the report today so the hearing could continue tomorrow. He said the court had been waiting for the report for the last 43 days. It was taking the matter seriously and that was why a five-member bench was constituted.
Justice Ijaz said Arshad Sharif was killed in Kenya under suspicious circumstances. He asked what action had been taken by the Foreign Ministry.
Foreign Secretary Asad Majeed said the prime minister had contacted the Kenyan president in that regard, while Pakistan’s high commissioner in Kenya was also in touch with the relevant authorities.
Justice Ijaz asked whether it was true that no case had yet been registered in Pakistan or in Kenya. Asad Majeed said he was not aware whether a case had been registered in Pakistan and he would check with the Kenyan authorities regarding the same.
Upon this, the chief justice asked as to why a case of Arshad Sharif’s killing had not been registered. Asad Majeed replied that a decision in that regard would be taken after the inquiry report was reviewed.
The chief justice said the nation had apprehensions regarding Arshad Sharif’s killing and asserted that all facts would have to be brought to light. Subsequently, the court sought the inquiry report of the committee formed by the government to probe the killing and adjourned the hearing till Wednesday.
PM hails SC notice
On the other hand, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also welcomed Supreme Court of Pakistan’s suo motu notice of journalist Arshad Sharif’s killing in Kenya.
Taking to Twitter, PM Shehbaz said he had already written a letter to Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial for setting up a judicial commission to probe the murder.
The premier also assured Centre’s full cooperation to the apex court.
