Arshad Sharif’s killing: Islamabad Police register FIR on SC orders

ISLAMABAD: The federal capital police, following directions from the Supreme Court of Pakistan to lodge a first information report (FIR) on the killing of journalist Arshad Sharif, registered a case against three prime suspects -- Waqar Ahmad, Khurram Ahmad and Tariq Wasi -- under Section 302/34 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) on Tuesday night. Inspector General of Police, Islamabad, Dr Akbar Nasir, when contacted, said the FIR had been registered in the Ramna Police Station under Article 3 of the CrPC, which allowed the police to register and investigate the case in Pakistan against people who killed any Pakistani out of the country.

The police proceeded with the case under Section 174 CrPC after getting the postmortem report from a medical board. The case had been registered following the facts disclosed by the medical board after the postmortem conducted at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) on the request of the family of Arshad Sharif. A special investigation team had been constituted to inquire into the case and round up suspects involved in the killing of journalist, the IGP said, adding that the FIR had not be sealed and had been made public.

Earlier, the Supreme Court of Pakistan directed the federal government to lodge the FIR besides seeking a report of the Fact Finding Committee constituted by the government for probing the case.

A five-member larger bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Umer Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsen, Justice Mazahir Ali Akbar Naqvi and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, heard the suo motu case on Arshad Sharif’s killing. Justice Bandial had taken the suo motu notice on Tuesday morning.

“The journalist community in the country and the public at large are concerned about the death of the senior journalist and are seeking the court’s scrutiny of the matter,” said a statement issued by the apex court. The CJP had issued notices to the secretary interior, secretary foreign affairs, secretary information and broadcasting, DG Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), DG Intelligence Bureau (IB) and president Federal Union of Journalists had fixed the matter for hearing on Tuesday. The court had directed the federal government to register till Tuesday night the FIR on Arshad Sharif’s killing. The court directed that a copy of the FIR should be filed with the apex court besides directing submitting the inquiry report of the Fact Finding Committee by Wednesday.

During the hearing, Justice Bandial observed that journalists were the voice of truth and source of information. “We cannot tolerate any injustice with journalists and if they lie, the government can take action against them.” Addressing Additional Attorney General Aamir Rehman, he observed that the Ministry of Interior was to submit the report of the Fact Finding Committee on last Friday. The committee had returned home but why its report was not yet filed with the court. “What are the reasons for that,” the CJP asked the law officer, adding that the medical report of the deceased submitted to the court was not satisfactory. “Should we call the federal interior minister and where is he?” he asked the law officer.

The AAG, however, assured the court that the committee’s report would be submitted. He informed the court that the interior minister was in Faisalabad. He said there might be some sensitive contents in the report. Therefore, the ministry would go through it and then submit it to the court. At this, the CJP asked the law officer whether the interior minister was going to change the report? “Why a criminal case has not yet been filed on Arshad Sharif’s killing,” Justice Bandial asked. The secretary interior said the decision to this effect would be taken after examining the committee’s report.

“Is this a legal way for filing a case,” Justice Naqvi asked the secretary while Justice Ijazul Ahsen observed how the matter could be investigated without filing a case. The CJP said the court had been waiting for the report for 43 days and it was taking this matter seriously.

Later, the court adjourned the hearing until today (Wednesday).