ISLAMABAD         -     The Supreme Court yesterday directed the government to constitute a new special joint investigation team (JIT) comprising intelligence officials to probe the killing of journalist Arshad Sharif in Kenya and submit the names of new JIT by today. “The federal government should immediately form a new joint investigation team. The court wants an independent team to investigate the issue,” remarked Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial as the five-member Supreme Court bench resumed the hearing of suo moto notice of the brutal killing of journalist Arshad Sharif in Kenya last month. The bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial, comprised Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan, Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar. The court said that the JIT should include senior officials from Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Intelligence Bureau (IB), Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and police. The CJP added that the court does not want any member to have connections with any influential person. In an earlier development in the day, the government had formed a five-member JIT to probe Arshad Sharif murder following the registration of the first information report on the court’s order. The IG Islamabad constituted the JIT to investigate Arshad Sharif’s murder and named DIG headquarters as its chairman. During the hearing in the Supreme Court, AAGP Aamir Rehman informed the bench that the government has constituted the SJIT, which included the officers from police, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) and Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the team will facilitate and support the work of the investigation officers. “The court has not formed a judicial commission as it is a criminal case,” CJP Bandial observed during the hearing, adding that the investigation should begin from Khurram and Waqar, the two men Sharif was in contact with in Kenya. The Chief Justice said that it is a brutal killing and a serious matter of public importance. He added, “The primary evidence is in Kenya.” Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs Asad Majeed was asked to take the help of the friendly countries and the international agencies, including United Nations, to assist in probing the murder of veteran journalist. The journalist Arshad Sharif’s mother Riffat Ara Alvi was also present during the hearing. She thanked the bench for taking suo moto notice of his son’s death. “I am grateful to you (CJP),” she said. However, Justice Bandial remarked; “We are so sorry that your son died in a tragic incident,” and added; “We are doing our duty under the law.” The CJP appreciated the report, saying that the FFT members – Dr Muhammad Athar Waheed and Omar Shahid Hamid - have done good job and in a short span of time prepared a very detailed report that contains lot of material. Justice Naqvi lamented that the name of the Kenyan police officials who had shot at Sharif were also not disclosed in the report. “Why was a case not registered against the officials who fired [on Sharif],” he asked. The AAGP told the court that it would have to be assessed if a case could be registered against them as they are not citizens of Pakistan, and have to see whether the foreigners can be nominated in the case, and also that the incident took place outside Pakistan. On the last hearing, 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 in this case.” 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. Justice Bandial asked the additional secretary that you (FO) have to be more proactive. You have to designate an official to continuously monitor 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. Later, the bench deferred the hearing of the case till today.