Larger SC bench to hear Arshad Sharif murder case

ISLAMABAD: A three-member committee, established under the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act 2023, Thursday constituted a five-member larger bench to hear suo moto case regarding murder of journalist Arshad Sharif.

It was learnt that a committee meeting was held at the Supreme Court with Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa in the chair, and attended by senior judges of the apex court including Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Muneeb Akhtar.

The CJP suggested that a three-member bench earlier constituted and headed by Justice Mansoor Ali Shah should hear the suo moto case regarding Arshad Sharif murder. Justice Mansoor, however, stressed that a five-member larger bench should be constituted for hearing the matter, which was also endorsed by Justice Muneeb Akhtar. The committee then decided by a 2-1 majority that a five-member larger bench would be constituted, headed by Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel. Other members of the bench would include Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Ayesha A. Malik, Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Hassan Azhar Rizvi.

The committee decided that the case would be fixed for hearing after summer vacation.

Similarly, the committee also constituted a five-member Shariat appellate bench, to be headed by CJP Qazi Faez Isa, which will take up appeals, filed against the decision of Federal Shariat Court and other matters. Other members of the bench include Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan. Dr Khalid Masood and Dr Qibla Ayyaz will also be on the bench as ‘Aalim’ judges.