ISLAMABAD: The Spe­c­ial Joint Investi­ga­tion Team (SJIT) on Wednesday visited slain journalist Arshad Sharif’s residence to record his mother’s statement.

In addition, it was learnt that members of the probe team are planning to head to Karachi to record the statements of family members of the two brothers Khurram and Waqar, who accompanied Sharif while he was in Kenya.

The government is also said to be considering the repatriation of the two men from Kenya, Interior Minis­ter Rana Sanaullah has already indicated that the journalist was murdered and the incident requires further investigation.

Separately, questions have been raised on the suitability of an individual who was part of the SJIT to probe the high-profile killing, as one of the officers on the team has previously failed to adequately probe two high profile murders that happened on his watch.

Unsolved cases cast shadow over suitability of officer investigating journalist’s high-profile murder

The capabilities of the official, who has served on the key posts of SSP and DIG Operations in Islamabad, was leading the capital police’s investigations into the Jan 2021 murder of 22-year-old Osama Satti, who was shot in his car by police officials, as well as the rape and murder of 10-year-old Farishta, whose family were allegedly subjected to humiliating treatment by the officials tasked with probing her initial disappearance.

The inquiry conducted to probe these killings blamed the SSP and DIG Operations for failing to “observe their legal responsibility”.

An inquiry into the 2019 murder of Farishta held the SSP Operations and DIG Operations — both posts were held by the same person at the time — responsible, along with the capital police chief, since they “failed to meticulously observe their legal responsibility”.

Since the official in question held both positions concurrently, the inquiry report said, it was his responsibility to ensure the timely registration of the case and to post efficient SHOs.

As per the record, the report notes, neither the inspector general or the DIG (Operations) conducted even a single inspection of the police station where the maltreatment took place. It further said the spirit of Chapter 22 of Police Rules 1934 “requires the supervisory officers to personally inspect the police station and note down their remakes in register No 13”.

A judicial inquiry into the murder of Osama Satti also blamed top Islamabad police officials for deploying the “Anti-Terrorism Squad/Crises Response Team, [a] highly skilled force that was not trained to restrain itself” in areas like Srinagar Highway.

It also revealed the Rescue 1122 team was given a “wrong address” and subsequently told to go back through wireless control as if “nothing had happened”.

**Dawn* reached out to the officer in question several times for comment, but he chose not to respond.*

Published in Dawn, December 22nd, 2022