Arshad Sharif murder case: Excusing himself, Justice Paracha declines to head probe body

ISLAMABAD: Former Justice Shakoor Paracha on Sunday excused himself to head the Judicial Commission for holding probe into brutal assassination of top investigative journalist Arshad Sharif after the mother of the martyred journalist expressed dissatisfaction over the commission.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had formed the commission to hold a thorough probe into the murder of journalist Arshad Sharif in Kenya.

“I have informed the federal government about my decision that the mother of the martyred journalist had expressed dissatisfaction over the commission,” said Justice Paracha. The mother of Arshad Sharif, in a letter to Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial, had requested formation of a high-powered judicial commission to investigate her son’s brutal murder in Kenya.

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“A member, nominated in the commission, has already visited Nairobi. A person who becomes part of a prior investigation should not become the member of the commission as per the law,” Justice Paracha said.

Justice Shakoor Paracha also said that no representative of media was included in the inquiry commission, adding “it is necessary that a representative from media should be taken into the loop”. He also said that the Chief Justice of Pakistan should form a commission for investigation into the murder of Arshad Sharif.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022