Arshad Sharif’s mother rejects inquiry commission formed by govt

ISLAMABAD: Slain senior journalist and former ARY News anchorperson Arshad Sharif’s mother has asked the federal government to not politicise the assassination case and rejected the three-member inquiry commission, ARY News reported on Monday.

Slain Arshad Sharif’s mother expressed disappointment over the inquiry commission formed by the federal government and termed its constitution contradictory to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s announcement. She demanded the federal government to not politicise her son’s assassination case.

She demanded the federal government constitute a high-powered judicial commission to probe into Sharif’s killing case in which United Nations Human Rights members should be included. She said that an inquiry commission should be formed on which the family and journalists can trust.

Sharif’s mother said that the whole family is going through deep grief and sorrow. “Instead of increasing our pain, justice must be ensured. The government formed a commission comprising two of its officers and a retired judge. An independent investigation cannot be expected from such commission.”

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She criticised that the federal government lodged several sedition cases against her son and made it difficult for him to stay in the country. She added that Sharif departed for Dubai after facing severe difficulties in the country and later he was forced to leave Dubai as well.

The slain journalist’s mother demanded PM Shehbaz Sharif constitute a judicial commission in accordance with his statement. She also asked the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) along with the journalist fraternity to play their role. She said that his martyred son’s blood will not go in vain.

Earlier, a three-member inquiry commission headed by former LHC judge Justice Retired Abdul Shakoor Paracha was formed by the federal government to probe into Arshad Sharif’s assassination case.

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Sources told ARY News that the federal government has given approval for the constitution of the three-member commission that will be headed by Justice Retd Abdul Shakoor Paracha. Sources said that the summary for the inquiry commission was approved through circulation.

Additional Inspector General (AIG) Dr Usman Anwar and Intelligence Bureau (IB) deputy director general Omar Shahid Hamid were included as members of the commission.