Arshad Sharif’s assassination: IHC to hear plea seeking formation of JC

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) is set to hear petition Tuesday (today) seeking the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the brutal assassination of journalist Arshad Sharif in Kenya on October 24, 2022.

A single-judge bench of Justice Raja Inaam Ameen Minhas will take up the petition filed by journalist Hamid Mir, seeking the court’s directions for the formation of a judicial commission to probe the killing of Arshad Sharif in Kenya on 24 October 2022.

A previous bench led by then IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq had reserved its judgment after hearing arguments from both sides.

During the last hearing, Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan had told the court that further investigation would require a formal agreement with the Kenyan government.

He said that while Kenyan authorities had initially allowed limited access to case records – enabling a fact-finding report – the publication of that report prompted dissatisfaction from Nairobi, leading to access being withdrawn.

Awan added that following Kenya’s general elections, a fresh report had been finalised and a draft bilateral agreement approved by Pakistan’s cabinet.

The agreement is now pending dispatch to Kenya. He also confirmed that two Pakistani nationals had been investigated in connection with the case.

The IHC Chief Justice had questioned whether such a judicial commission, once formed, could investigate events in Kenya, noting that Kenyan officials would not be obliged to cooperate.

The AGP acknowledged that challenges would remain even after any formal agreement with Nairobi.

The court subsequently reserved its decision on whether to direct the formation of the commission.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025