ISLAMABAD, June 08: The counsel for slain journalist Arshad Sharif’s mother requested the Supreme Court on Thursday to direct the special joint investigation team (JIT) probing the anchorperson’s murder to examine the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief and others who were making claims regarding people involved in the incident.
A five-member larger bench of the apex court led by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial is set to resume the hearing of the suo motu case next week.
Counsel for the deceased’s mother Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui submitted an application today that stated that it was a matter of record that so many persons made claims about the people involved in the conspiracy and the execution of the murder.
“As the applicant and her counsel has not been given access to fact-finding inquiry report and reports submitted by the JIT, therefore, the applicant is kept in the dark about the persons joined in the investigation of the case,” it stated
The plea maintained that “these persons have made claims with all certainty to this effect, therefore, they need to be joined in the investigation to collect evidence against the real perpetrators”. It named the ex-premier, as well as PTI leader Murad Saeed, former PTI member Faisal Vawda, prominent local news agency’s CEO, and journalist Imran Riaz Khan as those who should be probed by the JIT.
“In order to conclude the fair investigation it is incumbent upon the JIT to examine these persons along with others making claims to this effect,” the petition said.
It requested that the head of the JIT be directed to examine the listed people for the “purposes of investigation and collection of evidence”.
Last month, the country’s top court had expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of the investigation being carried out by a JIT into the assassination of renowned journalist Arshad Sharif.
The court had noted that it will take alternative routes if the JIT fails to make solid progress by the next date of hearing—June 13.
Sharif, a recipient of the Pride of Performance award who specialised in investigative journalism, was shot and killed by Kenyan police on Oct 23, 2022, in what was described as a case of mistaken identity.
Commenting on the progress report submitted by the JIT to the court, CJP Bandial had said the JIT swings into action just a day before the hearing of the case.
Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi had asked if the JIT had collected any evidence so far. “We have serious reservations about the JIT’s pace of investigation. And we are serious in getting this case investigated.”
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