Saleem Shahzad's murder case: Supreme Court issues notices to three secretaries

While hearing a petition praying for a high powered judicial commission to investigate journalist Saleem Shahzad killing, the Supreme Court on Friday issued notices to three federal secretaries-secretary law, interior and information- directing them to submit replies on the issue by June 20.
A three-member bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Tariq Parvez and Justice Amir Hani Muslim issued the notices while hearing a constitutional petition filed by Pakistan Federal Union of Journalist (PFUJ) under Article 184(3) on recent killing of a journalist Syed Saleem Shahzad.
The Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP), Advocate General (AG) Punjab and Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad were also summoned by the court. PFUJ counsel Asma Jahangir contented that a high powered commission may be constituted to enquire the killing, and pass appropriate orders, so that the fundamental rights of the petitioner organisation and journalists be protected, so that they could deliver without any fear or favour.
She said that killing of journalists, as well as threats to them, was a serious matter of public importance as they play a vital role in keeping the public informed of facts, and they perform a key democratic role, which always remains under threat.
She prayed for appropriate direction in Saleem Shahzad's murder investigation, saying that officials of high integrity should be given the task with full co-operation from all desks. The bench was informed that from 1992 to date more than 74 journalists were killed on suspicion owing to their professional duties.
he further said that the fundamental rights to life, liberty and expression of members of journalist organisations are being violated and their human rights are also trampled. The CJP remarked that Shahzad's killing was a matter of grave human rights violation, and added that the government did not meet the legal requirement by constituting the commission to probe the killing of Shahzad. The CJP observed that appointment of Justice Saqib Nisar as the head of the commission, without consulting SC was against judicial norms.
Asma contended that democratic institutions are meant to guarantee human rights. "But the 15-day record of Shahzad's mobile phone was erased, that raised many eyebrows ", she added. She also contended that the court could also summon the chief of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), adding that the intelligence agencies were capable of wiping out telephone records. The hearing was adjourned till June 20.