Pakistan

Journalist’s assassination: Sharif demands Shahzad murder probe commission

SAFMA organises a condolence reference in memory of slain journalist.

Saleha Rauf June 11, 2011

LAHORE:

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif urged the Supreme Court of Pakistan to take a suo motu notice of journalist Saleem Shahzad’s murder and demanded the government to set up a commission to probe the incident.

While addressing Shahzad’s condolence reference at the South Asian Media Centre here on Friday organised by South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA), Sharif said the PML-N would ensure that Shahzad’s murderers are arrested.

“We will not tolerate breaching of law, torture of journalists and suspension of the constitution in the future,” he said.

“The Abbotabad Operation conducted by US, Mehran Naval airbase attack in Karachi and drone attacks are all outcomes of our weaknesses and negligence, however, we have to take serious notice of these incidents” he added.

Sharif said “the situation of Pakistan is a tale of lost ideology. The army budget should be discussed in the cabinet. A house committee should be established for the accountability of the security institutions.”

“If we let them do whatever they think is right for the country, we’ll face more killings like this,” he added.

The event was arranged to pay tribute to the martyred journalist and probe the causes behind his death.

Meanwhile, South Asian Media Commission (SAMC) secretary-general Najam Sethi formed a commission, Media Commission Pakistan, to monitor attacks on media personnel and safeguard the freedom of press. The commission will pursue ongoing cases and audit the content of media, besides proposing a code of ethics, said a press release issued by the SAFMA here on Friday.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 11^th, 2011.

COMMENTS (9)

Khalid Masood | 12 years ago | Reply Our leader should be sensible and realistic. Murder of Shahzad needs investigation and not an inquiry. NS wants Judicial Commission for everything. Even for monsoon rains. Reading of 10 years in KSA did not make him better leader. He is same No Vision, No Expression and No Hard work. Political Jugglery is not going to work in 21 century. There is need to have PROPER investigation of the murder so that Killer could be apprehended for further judicial process.

Nadeem Ahmed | 12 years ago | Reply There were hundreds of fake police encounters in Punjab during Mian Brothers regimes. If army takes over today and initiates investigation of just one encounter, next day Mian Brothers will be addressing us on phone from Jeddah palace.

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Pakistani citizen | 12 years ago | Reply Don't you people see that when Pakistan was declared a terrorist state ,,, suicide bombing was started and now our army is being blamed by American media .America is throughing money to buy our ghadar people to maline our army ...They are using the same strategy like Lebanon.They wanted to enter in our country and we are not getting the situation right now... Support army and don't let your enemy strike you....

majid | 12 years ago | Reply we have to speak truth,bring out our weaknesses,implement law in true spirit on all people,institutions and there should be now one above the law.People,s representative should frame policies/laws and institutions should obey,follow it in true spirit.Guards should be honest to country and may not become ruler,law framer,guide,businessman,land lords and above law.This is only solution to safeguard our home land. Nawaz is on right stand and we all must appriciate his words and should pray soldiers to perform their duties as written in constitution of Pakistan--and respect their fellow civilians-citizens as they are public servants -not the ruler-they are from us-ours we love them so they must respect us in return and guard us.

samson simon sharaf | 12 years ago | Reply He is hobnobbing for expediency with media. What when he had Haqqani picked and tortured, or Punjab where discrimination against minorities are on the rise and where his party has presided over withdrawal of all Gojra cases under coercion?

Amirr | 12 years ago | Reply Looking back 10 years you are constantly speaking against the Pakistan army only because they kicked you out. If you think your voice make the Pakistani people against the Army then you are at mistaken. You are losing for sure. People have no more interest in your personality or your family party. They want their country out of the crises. The way you are trying to misguide public will not work anymore

Amirr | 12 years ago | Reply Army is the only institue left in the country which is fighting on multiple ends within and on boarders. They have legitimate right to do everything possible to prevent any threat to the country. Those who are upto the neck of our establishement should look into their own deeds and tell the nation what they have delivered in last decade. Thousands of our ARMY men sacrified their lives left thousands orphans and widows.

Amirr | 12 years ago | Reply Someone says 'If you want to know your enemy then look where the bullets are going to' India is againt our army. US doesn't leave any opportunity to spoil the Amry. TTP is attacking it. Mr Shareef you are standing on the same side who are being used to spoil our defenders. We know you dont have any personal greviences by Shahzad's death but you take this opportunity to blow on army.

Omar Haroon | 12 years ago | Reply The article left quite a bit out from his speech in which he asked the ‘army’ to change it's mindset. Statements like "There is no sacred cow in the country and none should try to become a sacred cow as (we) won’t allow such an attempt" or "End your domination of foreign policy (making) if you wish the criticism to end. Our relations should be with the Afghan people and not with a single party. There should be no parallel government (of agencies) in the country" were quite relevant to the topic at hand and which I feel should have been reported here.

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