ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Chief Justice, Umar Ata Bandial, took suo motu notice of the murder of journalist Arshad Sharif in Kenya on Tuesday, with a larger bench set to hear the case soon.
“The country’s journalist community and the public at large are deeply distressed and concerned about the death of the senior journalist and seek the court’s scrutiny of the matter,” the apex court said in a statement announcing the suo motu action.
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, according to the court.
According to the statement, the apex court will hear the case today at 12:30pm before a five-member larger bench led by the CJP.
The PTI has repeatedly requested that the Supreme Court investigate Sharif’s death. While PM Shehbaz has also written to the CJP requesting the formation of a judicial commission to investigate Sharif’s death. A demand made by the slain journalist’s mother as well.