Judge murder plot : Judicial panel given more time to submit report

Gilani grants more time after commission was unable to complete its inquiry within stipulated time of three weeks.

LAHORE: The prime minister is reported to have extended the deadline given to the Judicial Inquiry Commission (JIC) for submitting a report regarding Lahore High Court Chief Justice Khawaja Sharif‘s alleged assassination plot.

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani granted more time after the commission was unable to complete its inquiry within the stipulated time of three weeks, The Express Tribune has learnt.

According to a notification, the commission was asked to initiate an inquiry immediately after the publication of the notification in the Gazette of Pakistan and complete it within three weeks. The commission was asked to submit its report and recommendations to the government within the stipulated period or “within such further period as may be extended by the government at the instance of the commission”.

The chairman of the commission (the Balochistan High Court chief justice) has intimated that he urged the government to grant more time, saying that the commission would require more time t0 draft the report, adding that the commission needed at least a month.

The interior minister had authorised the submission of the summary.The government had appointed a “commission of inquiry” to determine the authenticity of the report.

According to the commission’s terms of reference, it was authorised to inquire into the news report published in a section of the press about an alleged plot to assassinate the chief justice of the Lahore High Court, collect relevant evidence or testimony, if any, examine the case in the light of all available information, fix responsibility on individual of organisations for the alleged plot/conspiracy, if any; and suggest ways and means to enhance/improve the existing security arrangements.

“The commission shall be assisted by all concerned authorities or departments of the government as well as provincial governments,” its terms of reference said.

Published in The Express Triune, November 28^th, 2010.