JournalismPakistan.com | Published March 07, 2025 at 07:19 pm | JP Staff Report
Join our WhatsApp channelISLAMABAD—The Supreme Court of Pakistan has raised concerns over the slow progress in the murder case of journalist Arshad Sharif, as the government requested additional time to approve a mutual legal assistance agreement with Kenya.
A six-member constitutional bench, led by Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan, heard the suo motu case regarding the killing of Arshad Sharif on Friday.
Arshad Sharif was shot dead by Kenyan police in October 2022, while in exile after sedition cases were filed against him in Pakistan in August 2022.
Additional Attorney General Amir Rehman informed the court that the agreement with Kenya had been finalized and was awaiting ratification. He assured the bench that the process would be completed within a month.
Justice Hassan Azhar Rizvi questioned the delay, stating, "The agreement was made on December 10, so why hasn't it been ratified yet?" Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail further asked, "Should we request a daily progress report from you?"
Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, addressing the Additional Attorney General, remarked, "Even after three months, you are still asking for more time?" Justice Hassan Azhar Rizvi added, "A well-known Pakistani journalist was brutally murdered, yet the government is not supporting his family in Kenya."
During the hearing, the Joint Secretary of the Interior Ministry stated that they had written to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding mutual legal assistance.
Justice Hassan Azhar Rizvi directed that a daily progress report be submitted to the court going forward.
Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan also expressed concern over the continuous delays in the case. Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan noted that the Kenyan High Court had issued a ruling on the matter in July, but it had yet to be included in the judicial record.
The Supreme Court ordered that the Kenyan High Court's decision be placed on the judicial record and adjourned the hearing for one month.
اسلام آباد: سپریم کورٹ پاکستان نے سینئر صحافی ارشد شریف کے قتل کیس میں سست پیش رفت پر اظہار تشویش کیا ہے، جبکہ حکومت نے کینیا کے ساتھ باہمی قانونی معاونت کے معاہدے کی منظوری کے لیے مزید وقت مانگ لیا۔
چھ رکنی آئینی بینچ، جس کی سربراہی جسٹس امین الدین خان کر رہے ہیں، نے جمعہ کے روز ارشد شریف قتل کیس کی از خود نوٹس سماعت کی۔
ارشد شریف کو کینیا کی پولیس نے اکتوبر 2022 میں گولی مار کر قتل کر دیا تھا۔ اس سے قبل اگست 2022 میں ان پر بغاوت کے مقدمات درج ہونے کے بعد وہ پاکستان چھوڑ کر چلے گئے تھے۔
ایڈیشنل اٹارنی جنرل عامر رحمان نے بینچ کو آگاہ کیا کہ کینیا کے ساتھ معاہدہ حتمی شکل دے دیا گیا ہے اور اس کی توثیق کا عمل جاری ہے۔ انہوں نے یقین دہانی کرائی کہ صدر کی منظوری کے بعد یہ معاہدہ ایک ماہ میں مکمل ہو جائے گا۔
جسٹس حسن اظہر رضوی نے استفسار کیا، "یہ معاہدہ 10 دسمبر کو طے پایا تھا، تو ابھی تک اس کی توثیق کیوں نہیں ہوئی؟" جسٹس جمال خان مندوخیل نے مزید کہا، "کیا ہم آپ سے روزانہ کی بنیاد پر پیش رفت رپورٹ طلب کریں؟"
جسٹس محمد علی مظہر نے ایڈیشنل اٹارنی جنرل سے مکالمہ کرتے ہوئے کہا، "تین ماہ گزرنے کے باوجود آپ اب بھی مزید وقت مانگ رہے ہیں؟" جسٹس حسن اظہر رضوی نے مزید کہا، "پاکستان کے ایک معروف صحافی کو بے دردی سے قتل کر دیا گیا، لیکن حکومت پاکستان کینیا میں اس کے خاندان کی مدد کیوں نہیں کر رہی؟"
سماعت کے دوران وزارت داخلہ کے جوائنٹ سیکریٹری نے موقف اختیار کیا کہ انہوں نے باہمی قانونی معاونت کے لیے وزارت خارجہ کو نوٹ ارسال کر دیا ہے۔
جسٹس حسن اظہر رضوی نے ہدایت دی کہ اب سے روزانہ کی بنیاد پر پیش رفت رپورٹ عدالت میں جمع کرائی جائے۔
جسٹس امین الدین خان نے بھی کیس میں تاخیر پر تشویش کا اظہار کیا۔ جسٹس نعیم اختر افغان نے ریمارکس دیے کہ کینیا کی ہائی کورٹ نے اس معاملے پر جولائی میں فیصلہ دیا تھا، لیکن ابھی تک اسے عدالتی ریکارڈ کا حصہ نہیں بنایا گیا۔
سپریم کورٹ نے ہدایت دی کہ کینیا کی ہائی کورٹ کے فیصلے کو عدالتی ریکارڈ پر لایا جائے اور سماعت ایک ماہ کے لیے ملتوی کر دی۔
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