ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday issued notices to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and Islamabad Capital Administration for the delay in the post-mortem report of the slain journalist and news anchor Arshad Sharif.
The plea of Sharif’s mother was presided over by Justice Amir Farooq, who gave PIMS and the Islamabad administration until November 15 to respond to the high court’s notice.
In the court, Riffat Ara Alvi, the mother of Arshad Sharif, was represented by counselor Shoaib Razak and the case’s hearing was then postponed until November 15.
Problems faced by family’s focal person
In the plea, Riffat Alvi said that their family’s focal person had asked the Islamabad Capital Administration for a post-mortem report on November 3. However, the administration had informed them that the police had the report and they did not.
Family claims calling PIMS management numerous times
The plea further said that when the family’s focal person went to the police, the police turned them away as well and advised them to get in touch with the administration. The family allegedly called PIMS management numerous times, but neither PIMS denied nor provided it.
In the plea application, it stated that “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.”
Sharif’s mother said that they should be kept updated at all times to maintain openness because she worries that the autopsy will be changed to mislead the truth of his son’s murder, she further requested that the entire procedure be carried out without the involvement of any other parties and that the family’s focal person will be included in the whole procedure.
The petitioner demanded that the postmortem report be given to Arshad Sharif’s family and not made public without their consent.
