In a major development, the Supreme Court of Pakistan has taken a suo moto notice of the killing of senior journalist Arshad Sharif.
According to the details, a five-member larger bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial will hear the case on the killing of Arshad Sharif today.
The court said that the CJP has issued notices to the interior secretary, foreign secretary, information secretary, director generals of the Federal Investigation Authority (FIA), Intelligence Bureau, and president of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists.
Read more: Arshad Sharif: A Hero that Reminds of Aristotle’s “Greek Tragedy”
“The journalist community in the country and the public at large are deeply distressed and are concerned about the death of the senior journalist and are seeking the court’s scrutiny of the matter,” the statement by the SC said, adding that the matter had been fixed for hearing before the apex court at 12:30 pm today.
ارشد شریف کیس میں سپریم کورٹ کا از خود نوٹس ممکنہ طور پر پاکستان کی تاریخ کا دھارا بدل سکتا ہے اور ملک میں آزادی اظہار رائے، قانون کی حکمرانی اور معاشرے کے کئی ستونوں کا کردار طے کرے گا۔ امید ہے کہ یہ نوٹس ایک مکمل انکوائری کمیشن کی تشکیل اور شفاف تحقیقات کا باعث بنے گا۔ pic.twitter.com/J5dO6JOxGL
— Hasaan Khawar (@hasaankhawar) December 6, 2022
Politicians are welcoming the SC’s decision to take suo motu notice of Sharif’s killing, highlighting the apex court’s role in protecting human rights.
“The people expect the SC and the judges to stand up for basic human rights despite pressure for the sovereignty of the Constitution, and to protect human rights,” PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said while hailing the decision.
ارشد شریف کی شہادت پر ازخود نوٹس لینا خوش آئند ہے سپریم کورٹ اور جج صاحبان سے عوام کی توقع ہے کہ وہ بنیادی انسانی حقوق کیلئے جو بھی دباؤ ہو اس کے باوجود آئین کی حاکمیت کیلئے کھڑے ہوں گے اور انسانی حقوق کی حفاظت کریں گے
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) December 6, 2022
Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed also welcomed the development, predicting that several “hidden faces” would be unmasked during the trial.
ارشد شریف کیس پر سپریم کورٹ کا ازخود نوٹس قابل تحسین ہے،اس کیس میں بہت سارےچھپے چہرے بےنقاب ہونگےقوم عمران خان پر حملے اور اعظم سواتی کیس میں بھی سپریم کورٹ کی طرف دیکھ رہی ہے۔13فراری پارٹیاں عمران خان کو نااہل کرانے کی بجائے الیکشن کی تیاری کریں۔روس سے تیل کا معاہدہ عام کیا جائے
— Sheikh Rashid Ahmed (@ShkhRasheed) December 6, 2022
Pertinent to mention PTI, along with the public, has constantly asked the Supreme Court to look into Arshad Sharif’s death. While PM Shehbaz has also written to the CJP for the formation of a judicial commission to investigate Sharif’s killing, demand was also made by the slain journalist’s mother.
Last week, the public wrote letters to the CJP. Former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan also penned down a letter to CJP Umar Ata Bandial and demanded a judicial inquiry into the killing of journalist Arshad Sharif.
Read more: Nation pens letters to CJP seeking justice for slain journalist Arshad Sharif