Federal Shariat Court Closes Arshad Sharif Murder Case, Detailed Verdict Issued
Islamabad (Qudrat Roznama): The Federal Shariat Court has closed the Arshad Sharif murder case, stating that the governments of Pakistan and Kenya are taking appropriate measures, and therefore judicial intervention is not required.
A two-judge bench comprising Justice Aamir Farooq and Justice Rozi Khan announced the reserved verdict. Justice Aamir Farooq’s 14-page written judgment noted that a Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) agreement has been signed between Pakistan and Kenya, making judicial intervention unnecessary at this stage. Consequently, the suo motu notice and all related petitions in the case have been disposed of.
The verdict acknowledged the grief of the journalistic community and Pakistani citizens over Arshad Sharif’s murder and clarified that the victims’ families may approach relevant courts if needed. The court emphasized that monitoring the investigation or keeping it indefinitely pending would violate the rights of the accused and compromise transparency.
Regarding the possibility of taking the case to international forums, the court stated that this is a matter of government discretion and foreign policy. It noted that no party has objected to the actions taken so far by the Special Joint Investigation Team.
The court highlighted that black warrants for the arrest of the accused in Pakistan have already been issued, and the pace of investigations depends on diplomatic coordination with Kenya and compliance with sovereign laws. Evidence for the criminal case will be gathered through the MLA framework.
The judgment clarified that instructing the federal government to raise the matter at international forums would constitute interference in both the investigation and Pakistan’s foreign policy. The court concluded that international relations are better handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the federal government, and therefore the matter is entrusted to them.
