CJP names 3 judges for judicial commission to probe Hamid Mir attack

The three judges include Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan and Justice Iqbal Hameedur Rehman.

KARACHI: On the the request of the government, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani has forwarded the names of three sitting Supreme Court judges to the Ministry of Law for the formation of the judicial commission to probe the armed attack on senior journalist Hamid Mir in Karachi, as prime minister Nawaz Sharif paid a visit to the still recovering television anchor.

Supreme Court registrar Tahir Shahbaz, while speaking to The Express Tribune, confirmed the above.

The three judges are Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan and Justice Iqbal Hameedur Rehman.

The Interior Ministry on Sunday submitted a letter to the CJP, seeking the names of three Supreme Court judges to constitute the commission, including one judge who will be the president of the commission.

The request directed the commission to submit a report “within 21 days”.

Nawaz's visit

Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister payed a visit to journalist and TV anchor Hamid Mir to inquire about is health.

Speaking to the media after the visit, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that the government is making an all-out effort to deal with the issue of terrorism and restore peace in the country, Radio Pakistan reported.

The prime minister vowed to bring the culprits involved in the attack on Hamid Mir to justice, adding that a judicial inquiry had already been ordered to unmask the perpetrators. He condemned the attack.

Senate resolution

The Senate on Monday unanimously passed a resolution condemning the attack on Hamid Mir, expressing great concern over attacks on media persons and media houses, and demanded the government to take appropriate measures for the protection of journalists.

Speaking on different points of orders during ‘Zero Hour’, the members urged the government that the report of the judicial commission being constituted to probe the incident must be made public and presented before the House.

Earlier, the journalists covering the proceedings of the Senate staged a walkout from the press gallery as a protest against the attack on Hamid Mir.

Leader of the House Raja Zafarul Haq and leader of the opposition Aitzaz Ahsan held a meeting with the protesting journalists and convinced them to end their boycott after assurance of protection of their rights.

A five-member committee of the House was constituted to address the grievances of journalists.

Hamid Mir's condition stable

Pakistani journalist and TV anchor Hamid Mir, who was shot three times in an attack in Karachi, is conscious and in stable condition, the hospital said Monday.

The government has announced a special commission to investigate the attack and offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible.

A spokesperson for Aga Khan University Hospital said Mir was "conscious and stable".

The shooting came less than a month after gunmen tried to murder another  journalist, Raza Rumi, who is known for criticising the Taliban.

Mir has survived previous attempts on his life including a bomb under his car last year which police defused before it could go off.

He has long been a critic of the country's powerful intelligence agencies and military for their alleged role in the abduction of thousands of people in the restive southwestern province of Balochistan.

Imran Aslam, the president of Geo, said Mir himself would lodge the official police complaint about the attack as soon as he is able.

"We are waiting for Hamid's early recovery so that he could himself lodge the FIR," Aslam told AFP.

He said Mir's condition was stable but he was "not in a position to lodge the FIR".

"Let's hope he gets better and back to work with renewed vigour."

Last month Pakistan announced it would set up a special commission to protect journalists and would include press freedom as part of peace talks with the Taliban.

Rights groups have called Pakistan one of the world's most dangerous countries for journalists.

Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders says seven reporters lost their lives in Pakistan last year.