ISLAMABAD – Supreme Court Justice Ijazul Ahsan on Thursday asked the joint investigation team to discuss with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs about possibility of including the United Nations in probe into the murder of senior journalist Arshad Sharif.
Justice Ahsan made the remarks as a five-member bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial, resumed hearing of the suo motu case in the murder of Arshad Sharif, who was shot dead near Kenyan capital city of Nairobi in October 2022.
A day earlier, the police submitted a progress report to the apex court on the murder of Shari.
During the hearing, Additional Attorney General Ameer Rehman informed the court that the probe will be conducted in three phases – Pakistan, UAE and Kenya.
When chief justice asked whether phase one had been completed, the additional attorney general said it was about the complete as statements of several people had been completed. He said the JIT would go to the UAE for investigation before heading to Kenya for final phase of the investigation.
The chief justice noted that some digital equipment belonging to the slain journalist had yet to be recovered. “Did the JIT find out where these devices are,” he asked.
Later, the CJP hoped the investigators would visit Kenya well-prepared as the case is also related to the human rights.
During the hearing, Arshad Sharif’s widow expressed reservations over the members of the JIT. However, the court asked her to trust the institutions and let the investigation team continue its probe.
The JIT formed by the government in line with the top court’s order comprises Mohammad Aslam from the Inter-Services Intelligence, Murtaza Afzal from Military Intelligence, FIA Cyber Crime Director Waqar-ud-Din Syed and Intelligence Bureau Director General Sajid Kiyani.
Justice Mazahir Naqvi remarked that the court was not making any interference in the investigation, adding that the probe should be conducted transparently.
The hearing was adjourned till the first week of February.
Killing of Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif was ‘pre-planned’ murder, says Kenyan HR Commission
