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Published 10 Jan, 2012 11:43pm

Saleem Shahzad murder report submitted to PM

ISLAMABAD, Jan 10: After six months of deliberations, the commission investigating the murder of journalist Saleem Shahzad, has submitted its report to the prime minister through the information secretary.

According to sources, the commission has stopped short of fixing responsibility for the journalist's killing.

The commission was formed by the government on June 21 last year to probe into the murder of Mr Shahzad.

The sources said that the commission had not indicated the names of those responsible for the murder of Mr Shahzad.However, the members of the commission declined to comment over the report of the fact finding commission.

'We are under oath not to disclose the contents of the report,' said a member of the commission talking to Dawn and added that it has beenagreed at quarters that the report would only be made public by the government.

'We have strongly recommended that the report be made public by government as soon as possible.

The proceedings of the commission continued from June 27 to Jan 9, this year.

During this period 24 formal meetings of the commission were held besides a number of meetings were held in other cities related to the inquiry.

The commission called for evidence through public notice in media and examined a large number of witnesses, including three hearings of officials belonging to the ISI, IB and the MI. The commission invited suggestions from various personalities related with the subject. The report, finalised on Jan 9, was signed by all the members and forwarded to the prime minister through the information secretary who is also the secretary to the commission.

The commission has alsodemanded compensation of Rs3 million to the family of deceased journalist and education at the state expense to his children up to the college level.

The commission was headed by Justice Mian Saqib Nisar of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, who is the president of the commission. The other members are: Justice Agha Rafiq Ahmed Khan, Chief Justice of Federal Shariat Court, Javed Iqbal, IG Punjab, Islamabad's IGP Binyamin Khan and Pervaiz Shaukat, President of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists.

The terms of reference (ToR) of the commission were to inquire into the background and circumstances of abduction and subsequent murder of Mr Shahzad.

To identify the culprits involved in the abduction and subsequent murder of Mr Shahzad and recommend measures to prevent recurrence of such gruesome incidents against journalists in future.

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