ISLAMABAD            -             On the directives of Supreme Court, the Islamabad police yesterday registered an FIR (first information report) of TV anchor and journalist Arshad Sharif murder in Kenya. The complaint was lodged by SHO of Ramna police station, Rasheed Ahmed, wherein three persons including Waqar Ahmed, Khurram Ahmed, and Tariq Ahmed Wasi were nominated. According to the FIR, sections 302 (punishment for murder) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) were invoked. It stated that the murder took place in Kenya on October 23. The complainant said that he reached the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) on the night of October 26 when Sharif’s body reached the hospital and a postmortem examination was carried out. After that, he said the medico-legal officers handed over four parcels of evidence to the police. The FIR added that according to the postmortem report, Sharif died due to the firing of ammunition. Reacting to the development, Sharif’s wife Javeria Siddique questioned why the case was registered on the complaint of the police when the slain journalist’s family members were still alive. Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court had directed the government to register an FIR of journalist Arshad Sharif’s murder in Kenya till Tuesday night. A five-member larger bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan, Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar conducted hearing of the suo moto notice of the brutal killing of journalist Arshad Sharif, which was taken by the CJP earlier in the day. Last month, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had written a letter to CJP Bandial to form a commission comprising all available judges of the apex court to ascertain the facts surrounding the mysterious murder of the journalist, who was shot dead in Kenya last month. The suo moto notice said that 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. It issued notice to Secretary Interior, Secretary Foreign Affairs, Secretary Information and Broadcasting, DG (FIA), DG (IB) and President PFUJ and fixed the matter for 6th December at 12:30pm. The CJP also questioned that why the FIR was not registered. Additional Attorney General (AAG) Aamir Rehman said that the government was waiting for the fact finding report to register FIR. Justice Mazhar said that in the criminal cases the FIR is essential adding that even if the tragedy takes place in another country, still under the CrPC the FIR could be registered in Pakistan. Justice Ijaz said that how the investigation will trigger when there is no FIR. Secretary Foreign Office (FO) Asad Majeed on the Court query informed that efforts are being made at the highest level. “Prime Minister [Shehbaz Sharif] has spoken to the President of Kenya seeking his support.” Additional Secretary FO Syrus Sajjad Qazi told that Pakistani High Commission in Kenya is in continuous touch with the Kenya authorities. “We keep reminding them and keep pursuing the case”, he said. Justice Ijaz remarked that no substantive progress has been made so far, adding no police investigation report of Kenya has been shared. The Chief Justice asked the additional secretary that you (FO) have to be more proactive. You have to designate an official to continuously monitoring the case. He said that our information is that no complaint has been lodged neither in Kenya nor in Pakistan. He further said that this is the test case for the government as it has to protect its citizens. Justice Bandial said that they do not want the journalists be mistreated and if they lie or do something wrong, catch them and punish them in accordance with the law. Justice Mazhar said the journalist (Arshad) was murdered in Kenya in a mysterious manner. Onset of the proceeding, the Chief Justice remarked that the fact-finding committee that went to Kenya came back long time ago. He inquired that why so far the report has not been submitted in the court. “Our Human Rights Cell is working and getting information on Arshad Sharif murder,” the additional secretary added. The AAG informed that the report was received over the weekend, and Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah was in Faisalabad during weekend, therefore, could not examine it. The Chief Justice then said should they summon the minister. The CJP remarked that does he (minister) want to make some changes in it, adding they (judges) have information that the report consists of 600 pages. It is not our (Court) job to interfere in the affairs of the executive. “What the government has done will be reflected in the report. Justice Ijaz said if they don’t want to share with the report then with whom will they share it? The Chief Justice said: “There is an ongoing debate on social media.” He added, “Fingers are being pointed at so many”. However, the AAG said that the prime minister and law minister were also yet to see the report. “Everyone has the right to access the investigation report,” the judge responded, adding that “investigation is the government’s responsibility, not the court’s”. “A journalist was murdered,” the CJP added, “who killed him should be brought to light”. Later, the bench adjourned the hearing of the case till today.