Letter to CJP: Arshad’s mother demands probe by judicial commission into son’s murder

ISLAMABAD: The mother of slain journalist Arshad Sharif, on Wednesday demanded the formation of a high-powered Judicial Commission for probing the murder of her son.

In a letter addressed to Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umer Ata Bandial, Riffat Ara Alvi, mother of martyred Arshad Sharif, demanded that a high-level Judicial Commission be formed for investigating the brutal murder of her son.

In her letter, she requested the CJP to protect her Shaheed son’s murder case from becoming controversial and sought justice from Pakistan’s highest court. She requested the chief justice to take legal action in accordance with the law and appoint a high-powered Judicial Commission, so that the feeling of insecurity amongst the family members of Shaheed Arshad Sharif along with the journalist community was taken care of.

She also requested the Chief Justice to take notice of this brutal murder and set up a judicial commission consisting of senior judges of the Supreme Court of Pakistan to determine the real motive and identify the criminals behind this heinous crime. “Only by knowing the real motive and criminals and bringing them to justice would end the agony of Shaheed Arshad Sharif’s family and his journalist fraternity. Otherwise, I rest my case to Allah SWT waiting for His justice”, the aggrieved mother said.

“I hope my letter receives due attention given the gravity of the case and is not ignored like my Shaheed son’s letter written to the authorities informing about threats to his life,” the mother further said adding that this was her first and last letter, requesting for justice.

She also requested the Chief Justice to take immediate notice of the incumbent government’s approach and attitude towards the brutal and merciless assassination of her son in Nairobi, Kenya, on 23rd October 2022 so that justice was provided to her, and his wife Somiya Arshad and his five orphaned children. “We want justice and nothing else,” the mother informed the CJP adding that her son Arshad Sharif during his life, wrote a letter to his honour on 12th July, 2022 to bring to his notice the threats to his life and the numerous baseless criminal cases initiated across the country by the present government (multiple FIRs) against him on the grounds of sedition and other charges.

“On account of this, my Shaheed son was forced to leave the country on 10th August 2022 and had to take refuge in Dubai,” the aggrieved mother wrote adding that when he reached Dubai, she was content and less worried as she thought that the life of her only living son was out of danger and that he was safe from these false and frivolous cases of sedition.

She, however, alleged that the Pakistani government pressured and compelled the government of the UAE to expel her son. “Consequently, my Shaheed son immediately left for Kenya due to the easy visa-on-arrival policy and after two months, he was assassinated mercilessly in Nairobi,” the mother informed the Chief Justice.

She said that the real reasons for the case are being concealed, which must be brought to the limelight, especially given the changing stance of the Kenyan Police, who had altered their opinion at least four times.

She also said that well before Pakistan’s investigation team left for Kenya on 28th October 2022, federal ministers started airing different fabricated stories about the death of her Shaheed son.

She also said that the prime minister had announced that a letter will be written to Islamabad High Court to appoint a high powered judicial commission, however, unfortunately, contradictory to his statement, one retired Justice Abdul Shakoor Piracha and two federal government officials have been made members of the commission, which indicates malafide intentions of the government.