The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) has scheduled a hearing for December 3 to review the request for an independent investigation into the killing of journalist Arshad Sharif. The development marks a significant step forward in a case that has remained under public scrutiny since Sharif’s death in October 2022.
Court Shifts Jurisdiction, Key Officials Summoned for Hearing
Arshad Sharif was shot dead in Kenya when local police opened fire on his vehicle, an incident that raised serious questions about the circumstances surrounding his killing. Sharif had left Pakistan in August 2022 after multiple sedition cases were filed against him.
Originally, the case was being heard by a six-member Supreme Court bench led by Justice Aminuddin Khan under suo motu jurisdiction. However, following the passage of the 27th Constitutional Amendment and the establishment of the Federal Constitutional Court, authority over constitutional and suo motu matters was transferred to the FCC.
According to Friday’s cause list, the upcoming hearing will be conducted by a two-member FCC bench comprising Justice Aamir Farooq and Justice Rozi Khan Barrech. Notices have been issued to the attorney general, the Islamabad inspector general of police, and the foreign secretary, among others. The bench will assess the demand for an independent and transparent probe into Sharif’s death.
Background: Multiple Legal Shifts and Pending Questions
The case has seen several administrative and procedural changes over the past two years. In August 2023, then–chief justice Qazi Faez Isa stated that the matter was not placed before a five-judge larger bench because it did not involve constitutional interpretation.
Later, in July 2024, the Supreme Court referred the matter back to a three-judge committee under the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act, 2023, to determine the appropriate bench for hearing.
With the FCC now assuming direct jurisdiction, the December 3 hearing is expected to outline the next steps in the long-delayed pursuit of justice for one of Pakistan’s most prominent journalists.
