Journalist Arshad Sharif martyred in Kenya
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News Desk
November 17, 2022
The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) has termed the 'mysterious' killing of journalist Arshad Sharif as a “clearly planned and choreographed” murder plot.
Sharif was shot dead on the outskirts of Kenya's Nairobi city on October 23. His death sent shock waves across rights organisations, the media fraternity and civil society and prompted calls for thorough investigation and disclosure of facts.
The 49-year-old journalist fled the country in August to avoid arrest after he was slapped with multiple cases, including sedition charges over an interview with PTI leader Shahbaz Gill during which the latter had made controversial comments.
In an interview with a local TV channel on Thursday, KHRC member Martin Mavenjina said the investigation into the murder of the renowned journalist points to the “inside job”.
Mavenjina said Sharif’s murder was “clearly planned” and added that circumstances surrounding the killing showed that the slain journalist was under surveillance for some time.
“The question is how did the security agencies know he [Sharif] was in that specific locality at that time,” the human rights activist was quoted as saying by the local broadcaster.
Mavenjina said the Kenyan police are notorious for extra-judicial killings and added that the KHRC, over the last couple of decades, has documented cases of unlawful killings and enforced disappearances in the East African country.
“The Kenya police are guilty as charged. Their excuse of mistaken identity doesn’t hold water because when you file a complaint to the police you give a clear description of the vehicle. In this case, the vehicle in which Sharif was travelling was a V8 Landcruiser. These are the vehicles used by cabinet members, parliamentarians and VIPs," he added.
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said earlier this month that evidence suggested the prominent Pakistani journalist was the victim of a targeted killing in Kenya, not an accidental shooting, though he still needed more information on the incident.
A police report a day after the shooting said police officers hunting car thieves opened fire on the vehicle that Sharif was travelling in as it drove through their roadblock without stopping.
Sana had told the media: "Arshad Sharif's death is not a case of mistaken identity -- I can say, and, on the evidence we have so far, this prima facie is a targeted killing."
He added, "We still need to obtain more [evidence] to confirm all this... and we have asked the Kenyan government for more data."
Arshad Sharif’s killing ‘clearly planned, inside job’: Kenya’s rights body
KHRC member says circumstances surrounding the killing show the slain journalist was under surveillance for some timeNews Desk
November 17, 2022
The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) has termed the 'mysterious' killing of journalist Arshad Sharif as a “clearly planned and choreographed” murder plot.
Sharif was shot dead on the outskirts of Kenya's Nairobi city on October 23. His death sent shock waves across rights organisations, the media fraternity and civil society and prompted calls for thorough investigation and disclosure of facts.
The 49-year-old journalist fled the country in August to avoid arrest after he was slapped with multiple cases, including sedition charges over an interview with PTI leader Shahbaz Gill during which the latter had made controversial comments.
In an interview with a local TV channel on Thursday, KHRC member Martin Mavenjina said the investigation into the murder of the renowned journalist points to the “inside job”.
Mavenjina said Sharif’s murder was “clearly planned” and added that circumstances surrounding the killing showed that the slain journalist was under surveillance for some time.
“The question is how did the security agencies know he [Sharif] was in that specific locality at that time,” the human rights activist was quoted as saying by the local broadcaster.
Mavenjina said the Kenyan police are notorious for extra-judicial killings and added that the KHRC, over the last couple of decades, has documented cases of unlawful killings and enforced disappearances in the East African country.
“The Kenya police are guilty as charged. Their excuse of mistaken identity doesn’t hold water because when you file a complaint to the police you give a clear description of the vehicle. In this case, the vehicle in which Sharif was travelling was a V8 Landcruiser. These are the vehicles used by cabinet members, parliamentarians and VIPs," he added.
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said earlier this month that evidence suggested the prominent Pakistani journalist was the victim of a targeted killing in Kenya, not an accidental shooting, though he still needed more information on the incident.
A police report a day after the shooting said police officers hunting car thieves opened fire on the vehicle that Sharif was travelling in as it drove through their roadblock without stopping.
Sana had told the media: "Arshad Sharif's death is not a case of mistaken identity -- I can say, and, on the evidence we have so far, this prima facie is a targeted killing."
He added, "We still need to obtain more [evidence] to confirm all this... and we have asked the Kenyan government for more data."
ghazi52
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News Desk
November 21, 2022
Murad Saeed. PHOTO: PID
PTI leader Murad Saeed has submitted his response to Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) fact-finding committee, formed to probe slain journalist Arshad Sharif’s killing in Kenya.
In a letter emerged on Monday, the PTI leader said the “impartial, transparent and independent inquiry” was not expected from FIA as it is working under the federal government.
He accused the PML-N-led government of harassing and intimidating the slain journalist. He claimed that the federal government continued to take hostile actions against Sharif when his life was in danger in the country.
Murad said the “imported government” started harassing the slain journalist as soon as it came to power in April this year.
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah made irresponsible statements and tried to link the journalist’s killing to gold smuggling in Kenya, he added.
“An impartial, transparent and independent inquiry from the FIA was not expected in the context of the current situation and the attitude of the federal government,” he added.
Murad demanded that the fact-finding committee must reveal identification of plaintiffs who lodged over 16 cases against Sharif in Pakistan. He also asked FIA to find out “who used to threaten and harass Arshad Sharif in Pakistan”.
“Before his murder, Sharif was compiling an investigative report against which powerful Pakistani?”
Meanwhile, sacked PTI leader Faisal Vawda appeared before the fact-finding committee.
Talking to media personnel after his appearance, Vawda stated that the agency had given him a ten-question-long questionnaire.
He claimed that the journalist’s murder was planned in Pakistan and that the fact-finding committee was doing ‘great work’.
“Hopefully the untouchable bigwigs will be reached,” he said.
Vawda further stated that the CEO of a local news channel had “nothing” to do with the case and requested that he return to Pakistan.
He also said that pushing PTI chief Imran Khan into the party’s long march was akin to taking him to a dead-end.
“I will not become prime minister if Imran Khan is disqualified, these people will,” he said, not naming any official. He further urged Imran to “clean up” the PTI.
Fair probe into Sharif killing not expected from FIA: Murad
PTI leader submits his response to fact-finding committee on journalist’s murderNews Desk
November 21, 2022
Murad Saeed. PHOTO: PID
PTI leader Murad Saeed has submitted his response to Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) fact-finding committee, formed to probe slain journalist Arshad Sharif’s killing in Kenya.
In a letter emerged on Monday, the PTI leader said the “impartial, transparent and independent inquiry” was not expected from FIA as it is working under the federal government.
He accused the PML-N-led government of harassing and intimidating the slain journalist. He claimed that the federal government continued to take hostile actions against Sharif when his life was in danger in the country.
Murad said the “imported government” started harassing the slain journalist as soon as it came to power in April this year.
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah made irresponsible statements and tried to link the journalist’s killing to gold smuggling in Kenya, he added.
“An impartial, transparent and independent inquiry from the FIA was not expected in the context of the current situation and the attitude of the federal government,” he added.
Murad demanded that the fact-finding committee must reveal identification of plaintiffs who lodged over 16 cases against Sharif in Pakistan. He also asked FIA to find out “who used to threaten and harass Arshad Sharif in Pakistan”.
“Before his murder, Sharif was compiling an investigative report against which powerful Pakistani?”
Meanwhile, sacked PTI leader Faisal Vawda appeared before the fact-finding committee.
Talking to media personnel after his appearance, Vawda stated that the agency had given him a ten-question-long questionnaire.
He claimed that the journalist’s murder was planned in Pakistan and that the fact-finding committee was doing ‘great work’.
“Hopefully the untouchable bigwigs will be reached,” he said.
Vawda further stated that the CEO of a local news channel had “nothing” to do with the case and requested that he return to Pakistan.
He also said that pushing PTI chief Imran Khan into the party’s long march was akin to taking him to a dead-end.
“I will not become prime minister if Imran Khan is disqualified, these people will,” he said, not naming any official. He further urged Imran to “clean up” the PTI.
Trailer23
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One thing is for certain that Faisal Vawda knows more than the Media...
This Murder/Assassination story is a ticking b0mb..., that might go off any day.
@ghazi52 @Ghazwa-e-Hind @AZADPAKISTAN2009
This Murder/Assassination story is a ticking b0mb..., that might go off any day.
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How strange feelings I have. They are Shaheeds , but in same time I’m very sad and very angry.
Ghazwa-e-Hind
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Not sure if its true journalism or blackmailing.
Mr. Noorani seemed to be sitting on information for a long time, timing is suspicious
Mr. Noorani seemed to be sitting on information for a long time, timing is suspicious
sur
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Look at scorching #2 in quoted post below and then read report
All holes on car are fired from right/back
None from left
Yet chest wound on Arshad has entry in mid-back & exit under RIGHT clavicle + NO corresponding hole in seat
Which means Arshad was NOT upright (as his images showed him) when chest wound received. Guess is that when he was shot in back, that was from inside the car, & he was already slump to left with head dropped on B-piller.
Hence most of his blood fell on arm-rest of door & left half of seat & even on rear-door & rear-door's arm-rest, but none on driver seat.
In double-DG press conference, they claimed Arshad was like a friend.
Brig Shafiq
Among Waqar-brothers, I found statements of Khurram to be very suspicious.
Khurram didn't drive Arshad to hospital & accuses Kenyan GSU/police of not taking Arshed to hospital. A-hole, you were driving that car, not GSU.
Khurram says he noticed that tire was burst AFTER driving 22Km (25 min) upon reaching farm house at Oletepesi.
Khurram makes a confusing remark, "less than 10 seconds and then he crossed", who crossed & what? Is he talking about himself crossing rocks? But he said he never stopped! He immediately covers this slip saying "I am suffering from trauma because of continuous investigations."
Khurram accused ARY's Salman Iqbal of behaving suspiciously and that ARY accused him (Khurram) & his brother Waqar.
Other suspicious characters that Arshad may have met could be Ravi & Yasir (as Arslan Satti, Consul Visa, Dubai ex-ISI thinks it could be job of a hostile agency) & Hassan the delivery guy who knew police side of story even before police arrived.
Another dubious character is "Jamshaid@Shahbaz: Partner of Waqar Ahmed"
He was also interviewed by Ahmed Noorani (video below)
On Arshad's MAC, there was a 2nd admin account found named "Shahbaz Khan", was it this Jamshaid@Shahbaz or some other Shahbaz? If this Jamshaid then why would he have admin account on Arshad's MAC?
Last edited:
ghazi52
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December 7, 2022
A file photo of slain journalist Arshad Sharif. — Arshad Sharif/Facebook page
The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the government to constitute a new special joint investigation team (JIT) comprising intelligence officials to probe the killing of journalist Arshad Sharif in Kenya.
The apex court issued the directives while hearing the suo motu case on Sharif’s killing. Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial said the JIT should include officials from the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the Intelligence Bureau (IB), the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the police.
The SC said that the first information report (FIR) of the case, which was registered a day earlier, was brief as an investigation had not taken place and there were no eyewitnesses.
The court directed the government to issue a notification and inform it about the members of the JIT by tomorrow, adding that the probe should be conducted by senior officers.
The members of the JIT should also be experts in understanding the case and gathering evidence from other countries, the court said. It also asked the foreign affairs ministry to assist the JIT in collecting evidence.
“The court has not formed a judicial commission as it is a criminal case,” CJP Bandial observed during the hearing, adding that the investigation should begin from Khurram and Waqar, the two men Sharif was in contact with in Kenya.
Ahead of today’s hearing, copy of the report compiled by the fact-finding committee was also submitted. The report, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, is 592 pages long and bears the signatures of FIA Director Muhammad Athar Waheed and Intelligence Bureau (IB) Deputy Director General Omar Shahid Hamid.
A five-member bench, comprising CJP Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Jamal Mandokhel, Justice Syed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi and Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar is presiding over the hearing.
Sharif’s mother Riffat Ara Alvi and his widow were present for the hearing, along with the FIA director general, the information secretary and the Islamabad police chief.
At the outset of the hearing, the interior ministry presented the fact-finding report. The first information report (FIR) registered on Tuesday of the journalist’s killing was also presented.
Additional Attorney General (AAG) Aamir Rehman said the investigating team had received information from Kenyan authorities. The team also met three of the officials who fired at Sharif, he said, adding that a meeting with the fourth could not be arranged as he was injured.
The AAG further said that the government was trying to arrange a meeting with the relevant minister and the cabinet secretary. “The high commission in Kenya is in contact with the relevant authorities,” he said.
At this, Justice Ahsan asked about the identity of the alleged shooters. The AAG replied that they were allegedly Kenyan police officials.
Justice Mazhar pointed out that the report submitted to the court did not contain what the officials had told the investigating team from Pakistan.
“The court was provided the report at 1am,” the CJP remarked. He pointed out that the real evidence of the case was in Kenya, adding that the matter had to be taken up with Kenyan authorities.
Justice Naqvi lamented that the name of the Kenyan police officials who had shot at Sharif were also not disclosed in the report. “Why was a case not registered against the officials who fired [on Sharif]?” he asked.
The AAG told the court that it would have to be assessed if a case could be registered against foreigners. Rehman further said the inquiry report would become a part of the case record.
“This is a very serious matter. We are warning the government to also take it seriously,” Justice Naqvi remarked.
Taking the stand, Sharif’s mother contended that she did not want another mother to go through she had experienced. She also thanked the CJP for taking suo motu notice of her son’s killing.
“We were working on this case for a month,” the CJP said. “There is no need for thanks. The court is carrying out its duty,” he added.
Sharif’s mother told the court that the fact-finding report detailed how her son was first made to leave Pakistan and then Dubai. She further said that her son was receiving death threats. “I only want justice for my son,” she said.
The CJP called on the government to investigate her claims from all angles. The court directed the officials concerned to record the statement of Sharif’s mother.
During the hearing, Justice Mandokhel pointed out that a female activist was killed last year in Canada. “If that case had been investigated, then maybe such a thing would not have happened with a Pakistani national in a foreign country,” he said.
“It is unfortunate that we only spring into action after an incident takes place,” Justice Mandokhel remarked.
The hearing of the case was subsequently adjourned till tomorrow (Thursday).
The SC directed the interior secretary to ensure the registration of a first information report (FIR) and also sought a fact-finding report from the additional attorney general for Pakistan.
The proceedings were initiated on the recommendation of Justice Ahsan and Justice Mazhar when CJP Bandial sent them the SC’s human rights cell report, based on the application of slain journalist’s mother seeking formation of a high-level commission to probe the murder, and sought their opinion to invoke the suo motu jurisdiction.
Later the same day, police registered a FIR on the complaint of a station house officer, mentioning that Inspector Mian M. Shahbaz along with other officials, acting on the information, reached Pims on October 26 and found the body of Sharif, a resident of Islamabad’s Sector G-11/3, there.
It said the body was brought from abroad. Following a post-mortem examination by a medical board, five sealed parcels, including one that contained a bullet, were handed over to the Ramna police and the body was handed over to the heirs, the FIR stated.
Since the journalist was killed abroad, an inquiry was under way at senior level, it said. However, the issue was recorded in the police diary and legal proceedings under Section 174 of the criminal procedure code were in progress, it said.
Initially, Kenyan media had quoted the local police as saying Sharif was shot dead by police in a case of “mistaken identity”.
But later reports from the Kenyan media reconstructed the events surrounding the killing, stating that an occupant in Sharif’s car at the time of his killing was believed to have shot at paramilitary General Service Unit (GSU) officers.
The Pakistan government subsequently formed a team that travelled to Kenya to investigate the killing.
SC directs govt to form new JIT to probe Arshad Sharif’s killing
Haseeb BhattiDecember 7, 2022
A file photo of slain journalist Arshad Sharif. — Arshad Sharif/Facebook page
The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the government to constitute a new special joint investigation team (JIT) comprising intelligence officials to probe the killing of journalist Arshad Sharif in Kenya.
The apex court issued the directives while hearing the suo motu case on Sharif’s killing. Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial said the JIT should include officials from the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the Intelligence Bureau (IB), the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the police.
The SC said that the first information report (FIR) of the case, which was registered a day earlier, was brief as an investigation had not taken place and there were no eyewitnesses.
The court directed the government to issue a notification and inform it about the members of the JIT by tomorrow, adding that the probe should be conducted by senior officers.
The members of the JIT should also be experts in understanding the case and gathering evidence from other countries, the court said. It also asked the foreign affairs ministry to assist the JIT in collecting evidence.
“The court has not formed a judicial commission as it is a criminal case,” CJP Bandial observed during the hearing, adding that the investigation should begin from Khurram and Waqar, the two men Sharif was in contact with in Kenya.
Ahead of today’s hearing, copy of the report compiled by the fact-finding committee was also submitted. The report, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, is 592 pages long and bears the signatures of FIA Director Muhammad Athar Waheed and Intelligence Bureau (IB) Deputy Director General Omar Shahid Hamid.
A five-member bench, comprising CJP Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Jamal Mandokhel, Justice Syed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi and Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar is presiding over the hearing.
Sharif’s mother Riffat Ara Alvi and his widow were present for the hearing, along with the FIA director general, the information secretary and the Islamabad police chief.
At the outset of the hearing, the interior ministry presented the fact-finding report. The first information report (FIR) registered on Tuesday of the journalist’s killing was also presented.
Additional Attorney General (AAG) Aamir Rehman said the investigating team had received information from Kenyan authorities. The team also met three of the officials who fired at Sharif, he said, adding that a meeting with the fourth could not be arranged as he was injured.
The AAG further said that the government was trying to arrange a meeting with the relevant minister and the cabinet secretary. “The high commission in Kenya is in contact with the relevant authorities,” he said.
At this, Justice Ahsan asked about the identity of the alleged shooters. The AAG replied that they were allegedly Kenyan police officials.
Justice Mazhar pointed out that the report submitted to the court did not contain what the officials had told the investigating team from Pakistan.
“The court was provided the report at 1am,” the CJP remarked. He pointed out that the real evidence of the case was in Kenya, adding that the matter had to be taken up with Kenyan authorities.
Justice Naqvi lamented that the name of the Kenyan police officials who had shot at Sharif were also not disclosed in the report. “Why was a case not registered against the officials who fired [on Sharif]?” he asked.
The AAG told the court that it would have to be assessed if a case could be registered against foreigners. Rehman further said the inquiry report would become a part of the case record.
“This is a very serious matter. We are warning the government to also take it seriously,” Justice Naqvi remarked.
Taking the stand, Sharif’s mother contended that she did not want another mother to go through she had experienced. She also thanked the CJP for taking suo motu notice of her son’s killing.
“We were working on this case for a month,” the CJP said. “There is no need for thanks. The court is carrying out its duty,” he added.
Sharif’s mother told the court that the fact-finding report detailed how her son was first made to leave Pakistan and then Dubai. She further said that her son was receiving death threats. “I only want justice for my son,” she said.
The CJP called on the government to investigate her claims from all angles. The court directed the officials concerned to record the statement of Sharif’s mother.
During the hearing, Justice Mandokhel pointed out that a female activist was killed last year in Canada. “If that case had been investigated, then maybe such a thing would not have happened with a Pakistani national in a foreign country,” he said.
“It is unfortunate that we only spring into action after an incident takes place,” Justice Mandokhel remarked.
The hearing of the case was subsequently adjourned till tomorrow (Thursday).
SC invokes suo motu jurisdiction
The top court on Tuesday invoked its suo motu jurisdiction on an application filed by the journalist’s mother. The five-member SC bench came down hard on the government on Tuesday for not submitting the fact-finding report or registering a FIR of the incident.The SC directed the interior secretary to ensure the registration of a first information report (FIR) and also sought a fact-finding report from the additional attorney general for Pakistan.
The proceedings were initiated on the recommendation of Justice Ahsan and Justice Mazhar when CJP Bandial sent them the SC’s human rights cell report, based on the application of slain journalist’s mother seeking formation of a high-level commission to probe the murder, and sought their opinion to invoke the suo motu jurisdiction.
Later the same day, police registered a FIR on the complaint of a station house officer, mentioning that Inspector Mian M. Shahbaz along with other officials, acting on the information, reached Pims on October 26 and found the body of Sharif, a resident of Islamabad’s Sector G-11/3, there.
It said the body was brought from abroad. Following a post-mortem examination by a medical board, five sealed parcels, including one that contained a bullet, were handed over to the Ramna police and the body was handed over to the heirs, the FIR stated.
Since the journalist was killed abroad, an inquiry was under way at senior level, it said. However, the issue was recorded in the police diary and legal proceedings under Section 174 of the criminal procedure code were in progress, it said.
The killing
Sharif had left Pakistan in August after a number of cases were registered against him. It was reported that he was initially staying in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after which he went to Kenya, where he was shot dead.Initially, Kenyan media had quoted the local police as saying Sharif was shot dead by police in a case of “mistaken identity”.
But later reports from the Kenyan media reconstructed the events surrounding the killing, stating that an occupant in Sharif’s car at the time of his killing was believed to have shot at paramilitary General Service Unit (GSU) officers.
The Pakistan government subsequently formed a team that travelled to Kenya to investigate the killing.
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SC directs govt to form new JIT to probe Arshad Sharif’s killing
Haseeb Bhatti
December 7, 2022
A file photo of slain journalist Arshad Sharif. — Arshad Sharif/Facebook page
The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the government to constitute a new special joint investigation team (JIT) comprising intelligence officials to probe the killing of journalist Arshad Sharif in Kenya.
The apex court issued the directives while hearing the suo motu case on Sharif’s killing. Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial said the JIT should include officials from the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the Intelligence Bureau (IB), the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the police.
The SC said that the first information report (FIR) of the case, which was registered a day earlier, was brief as an investigation had not taken place and there were no eyewitnesses.
The court directed the government to issue a notification and inform it about the members of the JIT by tomorrow, adding that the probe should be conducted by senior officers.
The members of the JIT should also be experts in understanding the case and gathering evidence from other countries, the court said. It also asked the foreign affairs ministry to assist the JIT in collecting evidence.
“The court has not formed a judicial commission as it is a criminal case,” CJP Bandial observed during the hearing, adding that the investigation should begin from Khurram and Waqar, the two men Sharif was in contact with in Kenya.
Ahead of today’s hearing, copy of the report compiled by the fact-finding committee was also submitted. The report, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, is 592 pages long and bears the signatures of FIA Director Muhammad Athar Waheed and Intelligence Bureau (IB) Deputy Director General Omar Shahid Hamid.
A five-member bench, comprising CJP Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Jamal Mandokhel, Justice Syed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi and Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar is presiding over the hearing.
Sharif’s mother Riffat Ara Alvi and his widow were present for the hearing, along with the FIA director general, the information secretary and the Islamabad police chief.
At the outset of the hearing, the interior ministry presented the fact-finding report. The first information report (FIR) registered on Tuesday of the journalist’s killing was also presented.
Additional Attorney General (AAG) Aamir Rehman said the investigating team had received information from Kenyan authorities. The team also met three of the officials who fired at Sharif, he said, adding that a meeting with the fourth could not be arranged as he was injured.
The AAG further said that the government was trying to arrange a meeting with the relevant minister and the cabinet secretary. “The high commission in Kenya is in contact with the relevant authorities,” he said.
At this, Justice Ahsan asked about the identity of the alleged shooters. The AAG replied that they were allegedly Kenyan police officials.
Justice Mazhar pointed out that the report submitted to the court did not contain what the officials had told the investigating team from Pakistan.
“The court was provided the report at 1am,” the CJP remarked. He pointed out that the real evidence of the case was in Kenya, adding that the matter had to be taken up with Kenyan authorities.
Justice Naqvi lamented that the name of the Kenyan police officials who had shot at Sharif were also not disclosed in the report. “Why was a case not registered against the officials who fired [on Sharif]?” he asked.
The AAG told the court that it would have to be assessed if a case could be registered against foreigners. Rehman further said the inquiry report would become a part of the case record.
“This is a very serious matter. We are warning the government to also take it seriously,” Justice Naqvi remarked.
Taking the stand, Sharif’s mother contended that she did not want another mother to go through she had experienced. She also thanked the CJP for taking suo motu notice of her son’s killing.
“We were working on this case for a month,” the CJP said. “There is no need for thanks. The court is carrying out its duty,” he added.
Sharif’s mother told the court that the fact-finding report detailed how her son was first made to leave Pakistan and then Dubai. She further said that her son was receiving death threats. “I only want justice for my son,” she said.
The CJP called on the government to investigate her claims from all angles. The court directed the officials concerned to record the statement of Sharif’s mother.
During the hearing, Justice Mandokhel pointed out that a female activist was killed last year in Canada. “If that case had been investigated, then maybe such a thing would not have happened with a Pakistani national in a foreign country,” he said.
“It is unfortunate that we only spring into action after an incident takes place,” Justice Mandokhel remarked.
The hearing of the case was subsequently adjourned till tomorrow (Thursday).
SC invokes suo motu jurisdiction
The top court on Tuesday invoked its suo motu jurisdiction on an application filed by the journalist’s mother. The five-member SC bench came down hard on the government on Tuesday for not submitting the fact-finding report or registering a FIR of the incident.
The SC directed the interior secretary to ensure the registration of a first information report (FIR) and also sought a fact-finding report from the additional attorney general for Pakistan.
The proceedings were initiated on the recommendation of Justice Ahsan and Justice Mazhar when CJP Bandial sent them the SC’s human rights cell report, based on the application of slain journalist’s mother seeking formation of a high-level commission to probe the murder, and sought their opinion to invoke the suo motu jurisdiction.
Later the same day, police registered a FIR on the complaint of a station house officer, mentioning that Inspector Mian M. Shahbaz along with other officials, acting on the information, reached Pims on October 26 and found the body of Sharif, a resident of Islamabad’s Sector G-11/3, there.
It said the body was brought from abroad. Following a post-mortem examination by a medical board, five sealed parcels, including one that contained a bullet, were handed over to the Ramna police and the body was handed over to the heirs, the FIR stated.
Since the journalist was killed abroad, an inquiry was under way at senior level, it said. However, the issue was recorded in the police diary and legal proceedings under Section 174 of the criminal procedure code were in progress, it said.
The killing
Sharif had left Pakistan in August after a number of cases were registered against him. It was reported that he was initially staying in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after which he went to Kenya, where he was shot dead.
Initially, Kenyan media had quoted the local police as saying Sharif was shot dead by police in a case of “mistaken identity”.
But later reports from the Kenyan media reconstructed the events surrounding the killing, stating that an occupant in Sharif’s car at the time of his killing was believed to have shot at paramilitary General Service Unit (GSU) officers.
The Pakistan government subsequently formed a team that travelled to Kenya to investigate the killing.
Great. Supreme Canjars of Pakistan have directed the murderers to probe the murder, and implicate themselves. What a joke, this country has become.
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