London: The fact-finding committee formed to investigate the murder of journalist Arshad Sharif believes that the journalist’s laptop is in the possession of former Communications Minister and PTI leader Murad Saeed.
Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director Dr. Athar Waheed and Intelligence Bureau (IB) Deputy Director General Umar Shahid Hamid are investigating the case and have asked Saeed to find the laptop of the slain journalist. Handed over to the Finding Committee, the Government of Pakistan made sure to bring a laptop on 28 November to aid in the investigation.
When contacted by JEE News, Saeed refused to comment on FIA’s contacts with him, but the former minister shared a copy of the letter written to the fact-finding committee expressing his displeasure.
The fact-finding committee has written to Saeed that during the process of the finding team, it has come on record that the Apple Macbook of late senior journalist Arshad Sharif is with you. Therefore, you are requested to provide the victim’s instrument to enable the fact-finding team to ascertain the facts surrounding the killing of the senior journalist in Kenya.
The letter signed by Dr. Waheed to Saeed reads: “You are requested to cooperate with the fact-finding team as we have to submit a report to the Human Rights Cell of the Supreme Court [SC] to share it. directed. Inquiry Report”
In his letter to the FIA’s fact-finding committee on November 21, Saeed expressed reservations and refused to cooperate with the fact-finding committee. “The mother of Shaheed Arshad Sharif has already expressed her reservations and concerns regarding the current government’s investigation into her son’s murder. He has appealed for justice and expressed dissatisfaction over the Pakistan government’s handling of the issue. He put it bluntly: “I have no faith in the Pakistani government,” the PTI lawmaker wrote.
Saeed has written to the committee that he is “ready to appear before the judicial commission constituted by the August SC and present all the information he has regarding the matter”.
The fact-finding team has also asked London-based Tasnim Haider Shah to appear before the committee on November 28 to give evidence in support of her claim that Sharif’s iPad and iPhone are in possession of Nasir Butt in London. Tasnim has said that Waqar Ahmed and Khurram Ahmed, who hosted Sharif in Kenya at the request of Tariq Wasi, were controlled by Butt from London.
Sharif was killed by General Service Unit (GSU) officers in Kenya on October 23 while he was on his way to Nairobi from Emu Dump. Khurram was driving when Sharif was attacked.
