The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday directed secretaries of Law, Interior and Information to submit their para-wise comments till June 20 over the progress made in investigation of murder case of journalist Saleem Shahzad. Inspector General (IG) Punjab and Islamabad are also summoned in next hearing.
A three-Judge bench of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Tariq Parvez and Justice Amir Hani Muslim issued directives on a plea moved by Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ).
During the hearing, the chief justice remarked that Shahzad’s killing was a matter of human rights.
The chief justice said that the government did not meet the legal requirement by constituting the commission to probe the killing of Shahzad.
He said that the appointment of Justice Saqib Nisar as the head of the commission without the consultation of the Supreme Court was against the norms.
President of Supreme Court Bar Association and Chairperson Human Rights Commission of Pakistan Asma Jehangir, while talking with the media said that there is law and chief justice can summon any one.
Asma Jahangir said that democratic institutions guaranteed human rights.
But the 15-day record of Shahzad’s mobile phone was removed that raised many questions, she said.
Muneer A Malik said proceeding commission without consultation with the CJ is like negating freedom of judiciary.
Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) President Parvez Shoukat said “we want justice at any cost”.