JIT to form TORs, record statements of Arshad Sharif's mother, widow

The special Joint Investigation Team (JIT) formed to probe the murder of journalist Arshad Sharif on the Supreme Court's direction has decided to record Arshad's mother's and widow's statements, while their documents for travelling to Kenya are in preparation.

The special JIT held its first meeting at DIG headquarters in Islamabad. Police officials said that the team had decided to make its terms of reference (TORs) and record statements of Arshad Sharif's mother and widow as soon as possible.

The JIT will contact everyone related to the case regarding the investigation, the officials said adding it would also travel to Kenya.

Earlier this week, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial directed the formation of a special JIT to investigate Arshad Sharif's murder.

On December 7, a five-member larger bench of the Supreme Court headed by CJ Bandial heard the suo motu case of the killing of Arshad Sharif in Kenya. The Ministry of Interior submitted a fact-finding report in court.

The court ordered the formation of a JIT and directed the authorities to ensure the representation of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Islamabad Police, Intelligence Bureau (IB), and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

The JIT, formed by IG Islamabad Akbar Nasir Khan, includes Convenor JIT CPO Owais Ahmed, Muhammad Aslam from the ISI, Murtaza Afzal from MI, Waqaruddin Syed from FIA and Sajid Kiyani from IB.

On Thursday, the federal government shared the names of the members of the new JIT with the Supreme Court after the court rejected the proposed names on Wednesday.

The CJP has directed the JIT to submit a progress report fortnightly.

Fact-finding report 

The fact-finding committee, established by the government, to probe and ascertain facts regarding Arshad Sharif's murder hinted involvement of foreign hands in the “premeditated” murder of the senior media person.

Sharif was shot dead in the African country on October 23 under mysterious circumstances by the police.

The local authorities claimed that the journalist was killed in mistaken identity after which Kenya's Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) launched an investigation, the report of which has not been released yet.

The fact-finding team manned by Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Athar Waheed and Intelligence Bureau’s (IB) Omar Shahid Hamid, travelled to Kenya to collect information into the incident.

Sharif fled Pakistan citing threats to his life after a number of treason cases were filed against him.

The fact-finding report said that the trajectory of the bullet that went through Arshad Sharif’s chest from the back does not match the firing pattern.

“One bullet hit him in the upper back, about 6 to 8 inches below the neck and exited from the other side (chest). It is not difficult to deduce from the wound that it was a close-range shooting, while the angle at which the bullet was fired, it should have made a hole in the car seat as well.”