ISLAMABAD:
The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the federal government to constitute a new Joint Investigation Team (JIT) comprising independent and senior officers to probe the Arshad Sharif's murder case.
Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial on Tuesday had taken suo motu notice of the journalist’s murder.
Headed by CJP Bandial, a five-member bench comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Jamal Mandokhail, Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi and Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar, heard the case.
"It is brutal killing and this is a very sensitive matter," CJP observed in court today, however, he said the primary evidence of this case is in Kenya.
After issuing orders for the formation of a JIT, the court asked Riffat to record her statement with the investigation team.
Additional Attorney General Chaudhary Amir Rehman informed the bench that the government had already decided to form JIT in this matter.
The five-member larger bench also asked Foreign Office to engage friendly countries as well as international agencies including the UN for the investigation of the case in Kenya.
The court is to resume hearing the matter tomorrow.