ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar on Wednesday took notice of the murder of Zeeshan Butt, a journalist associated with a Lahore-based newspaper and directed the Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Arif Nawaz Khan to present a report in the Supreme Court within 24 hours.
Butt had visited Sialkot Union Council (UC) Chairman Imran Cheema’s office in the Sambrial Tehsil on March 27 to inquire about the taxes imposed on shop owners in the Begowala Union Council, according to an audiotape of his last telephonic conversation.
Subsequent to a harsh exchange of words between the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) UC chairman and the journalist, the latter was issued death threats from Cheema — verified by the audiotape of the journalist’s telephonic conversation with District Council Chairman Hina Arshad Waraich.
Butt had called the district council chairman to complain against the death threats, however, the slain journalist was unable to complete the conversation that abruptly ended following the sound of three gunshots allegedly fired at him.
The man succumbed to injuries sustained from the firing within the UC Begowala office premises — site of the incident.
Prior to calling Waraich, Butt had contacted the area’s SHO and informed him about the death threats but the authorities had failed to respond to his request for assistance.
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