ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday served notices to the respondents in a petition moved by the mother of Arshad Sharif questioning the delay in the provision of the post-mortem report of the slain journalist.
In her petition submitted on Friday, Riffat Ara Alvi said that a focal person of their family, Col. Muhammad Usman, had sought a post-mortem report from the Islamabad administration on November 3.
The administration had, however, told them they do not have the report and that it was with the police. She added that when Usman went to the police, they also turned him away and told the family to contact the administration.
“The PIMS and local administration have kept Arshad Sharif’s family in the dark about the post-mortem report and humiliated them during this difficult time,” said the plea.
The petition read that Alvi fears the report will be altered to distort the facts and thus, they should be kept informed at all times to ensure transparency.
“The postmortem report should be provided to Arshad Sharif’s family and should not be made public without the family’s permission,” requested Alvi.
Alvi nominated the president, secretary of the interior ministry, and Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) as respondents.
Justice Aamer Farooq took up the plea and, after initial arguments in the case, served notices to the respondents, seeking a response by November 15.
It was pertinent to mention here that Alvi has written a letter to Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, demanding the formation of a high-power judicial commission to probe Sharif’s killing.
