Justice Saqib Nisar has said that he was not consulted before his appointment as head of the investigation commission over the killing of Journalist Saleem Shahzad, adding he will be willing to lead the it (commission) after approval from the Chief Justice of Pakistan, a private TV channel reported on Thursday night.
Justice Nisar said that appointment of judges to form a commission was at the discretion of the chief justice. He said that the CJP was not consulted over the formation of the commission and his approval was necessary for any judge to head or become member of a commission.
According to the notification issued by the government, Supreme Court judge Justice Saqib Nisar would head the five-member commission tasked to investigate kidnapping and death of journalist Saleem Shahzad.
The channel also reported that the government continued playing political games to its benefit and making the judiciary controversial. A notification was issued to form the commission to be headed by Justice Saqib Nisar but without the required consultation with the chief justice and the proposed judge, the channel reported.
Quoting unidentified analysts, the channel reported that the government has deliberately tried to politicize the matter by not consulting the chief justice. Apparently the decision to form the commission was taken under the pressure of journalists but the government was not serious in bring the culprits to the book, the channel reported.
The commission will establish motives behind kidnapping and killing of Saleem Shahzad, will fix the responsibility, will suggest ways to avert such incidents in future.
