Arshad Sharif murder: Police registers FIR on SC’s order

During the course of proceedings, the court declared the medical report of Arshad Sharif as unsatisfactory and ordered to register the case 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. He asked why the final report of the government-formed commission had not been provided to the court.

The top judge said senior doctors had prepared the victim’s medical report but it was not satisfactory. Every human life has to be taken seriously, he said, adding that mistreatment of journalists could not be tolerated.

The AAG said Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah was in Faisalabad when the report was received and would be presented before to the court once the minister perused it.

The CJP asked whether the interior minister had to make changes in the report. He said the court can even summon the federal minister. He observed that it was the government’s job to investigate the incident.

The additional attorney general said the report would be submitted by tomorrow. CJP Bandial 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.  He said the court was taking the matter seriously had constituted a larger a bench.

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, 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. The Foreign Secretary said he was not aware whether a case had been registered in Pakistan and he would check with the Kenyan authorities.

The chief justice asked why a case of Arshad Sharif’s killing had not been registered. Asad Majeed replied that a decision would be taken after the inquiry report was reviewed.

CJP Bandial said the nation has apprehensions regarding Arshad Sharif’s killing and asserted that all facts would have to be brought to light.

The court sought the inquiry report of the committee formed by the government to probe the killing and adjourned the hearing till Wednesday.