Treasury benches demand JIT or parliamentary body to probe journalist’s murder

ISLAMABAD, Feb 17 (APP):The treasury benches on Monday demanded to form a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) or constitute a parliamentary committee to investigate the murder of journalist Aziz Memon from Sindh.

Speaking on a point of order in the National Assembly, Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) Fehmida Mirza strongly condemned the murder of journalist and said the matter should not be politicized.

The minister said the slain journalist informed the authorities concerned several times about threats to his life but unfortunately they did not pay heed to the complaints of Aziz Memon.

Fehmida Mirza said the provincial government completely failed to protect a sitting minister, member of provincial assembly, journalist and common people of the province.

She demanded the government to constitute a JIT or a committee of the parliament to investigate the matter in a fair and transparent manner for the provision of justice to the bereaved family.

While endorsing the other members from the treasury benches, Minister for Science and Technology Chaudhary Fawad Husain said the murder had a background that must be investigated.

He said the House should stand with the journalist community to show solidarity with them in the need of hour.

Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen M Mazari after meeting with the journalists informed the House that the journalists had demanded constitution of a JIT to investigate the murder and present its report in the Parliament within two weeks.

Senior Leader of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Raja Pervaiz Ashraf condemned the murder of Aziz Memon and said the Inspector General of Police Sindh was not ready to obey the orders of Sindh government.

He said the Sindh Police high officials were responsible for the murder of Aziz Memon as they failed to provide him the security despite several requests to the IGP and the superintendent of police.

Raja Pevaiz Ashraf claimed that the constitution of a parliamentary committee was against the provincial autonomy.

Giving ruling on the murder of journalist, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser said that the parliamentary committee would be formed after the consultation of Ministry of Law and Justice, and Attorney General of Pakistan.