Supreme Court Delays Hearing in Arshad Sharif Murder Case, Seeks Progress Report on Mutual Legal Assistance with Kenya

Islamabad:The Supreme Court of Pakistan has adjourned the hearing of the Arshad Sharif murder case for one month while seeking updates on the mutual legal assistance agreement with Kenya. During the hearing, the federal government requested additional time for the ratification of the agreement with Kenya.

The seven-member constitutional bench of the Supreme Court, led by Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan, questioned the slow progress of the case after the additional attorney general informed the court that a mutual legal assistance agreement had already been signed with Kenya. The attorney general assured that the ratification process would be completed within a month.

Justice Hassan Azhar Rizvi inquired why the agreement, signed on December 10 last year, had not yet been ratified, while Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar expressed concern over the continuous requests for more time, stating that three months had already passed. Justice Jamal Mandokhail suggested whether they should demand daily progress reports.

Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan raised a question about the Kenyan court’s ruling, reminding the government that the Kenyan High Court had made its decision on July 24, yet it had not been brought to the judicial record in Pakistan.

The Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Interior informed the court that the ministry had written to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for legal cooperation. Justice Hassan Azhar Rizvi directed that a daily progress report be submitted to the court from now on.

Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan expressed frustration over the delays, stating, “Our concern is that despite so much time passing, why has there been such a delay in the Arshad Sharif case?”

The court has instructed that the Kenyan High Court’s decision be added to the judicial record and postponed the hearing for one month.