After stonewalling a formal call from the prime minister to look into the matter for almost a month, the Chief Justice of Pakistan has now taken a suo motu notice to probe the tragedy.
By Naveed Naqvi
ISLAMABAD: Declaring the autopsy report of slain journalist Arshad Sharif unsatisfactory, the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) Tuesday ordered the government to register a fresh police case on the day itself for probe into his assassination.
The order was handed down by a five-member larger bench of apex court presided over by the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Atta Bandial during the hearing of a suo motu case pertaining to Arshad Sharif murder case.
In attendance at the hearing were Foreign Secretary Asad Majeed, DG FIA Mohsin Butt, Information Secretary Shahira Shahid, DG IB, Interior Secretary, and President PFUJ.
At the inception of hearing, the court sought access to the report of the fact-finding team that visited Kenya to look into Sharif’s murder. The Additional Attorney General (AAG) said the report will be provided to court after it is seen by Interior Minister.
His contention was that the Interior Minister was in Faisalabad when the report arrived and that he has not been able to see it as of now. The CJP remarked much time has passed after the return of fact-finding committee.
The CJP remarked as to why the report has not been provided to the court so far. He wanted to know if the government has made some change to it.
Additional Attorney General (AAG) said report will be submitted in the SC by tomorrow. The CJP said it should be submitted today so that its hearing can take place tomorrow. “We have been waiting for this report for 43 days”, he said.
Justice Bandial said the SC’s Human Rights cells is working on the letter of Arshad Sharif’s mother. He laid down that every citizen has a right to access the report. A journalist has been murdered and it should be revealed who murdered him, he said.
He said the Arshad Sharif’s autopsy report is unsatisfactory. “We are taking the matter seriously”.
The court sought reply from foreign office regarding investigation and registration of case in Kenya. The foreign secretary promised compliance.
The CJP remarked as to why Arshad Sharif murder case has not been registered. The Interior secretary said decision to register case will be made after reviewing the fact finding report.
Justice Mazahir Naqvi was askance if this is the legal way to register the case. Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan wanted to know how the investigation can be conducted without registration of a case.
Justice Ejaz ul Ahsan asked if Kenyan authorities will share their report. He remarked the role of foreign ministry is the most important in the matter.
The court while ordering the concerned authorities to register the case by night directed them to file the inquiry report on the next hearing, set for Wednesday.
Earlier Tuesday, the Supreme Court of Pakistan on took suo motu notice of the killing of journalist Arshad Sharif’s in Kenya.
A five-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial would conduct hearing just after midday.
Notices were issued to the Interior Secretary, Foreign Secretary, Secretary Information and Broadcasting, Director General (DG) Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), DG Intelligence Bureau (IB), and President Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists to attend the hearing at 12:30 pm.
The apex court said the journalist community in the country and the public at large are deeply distressed and are concerned about the death of the senior journalist and are seeking the court’s scrutiny of the matter.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and former Prime Minister Imran Khan have already demanded probe into the brutal killing in their separate letters to CJP asking him to conduct an independent judicial inquiry into the killing of the journalist.
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