JIT formed to probe Pak journo's alleged murder

Islamabad: The government in Pakistan's Sindh province announced the constitution of a nine-member joint investigation team (JIT) to probe the alleged murder of journalist Aziz Memon, whose body was found in an irrigation waterway last month.

According to a notification issued on Friday, the JIT will have to submit its findings within 15 days and can ask for assistance from member(s) of any agency and department, reports Dawn news.

Aziz, who was associated with Sindhi TV channel KTN News and Sindhi-language daily Kawish, was found dead in the irrigation waterway in Naushahro Feroze on February 16. He was allegedly strangled to death.

Hafiz Memon, a brother of the slain journalist, told the media that Aziz had left to cover a story in a nearby village with his cameraman, Owais Qureshi. Some hours later, his body was found, tied with an electric wire.

The 56-year-old journalist had often received threats of dire consequences during his 30-year-long career.

Following the recovery of Aziz's body, journalists had held protests and demanded that a JIT, chaired by the National Assembly speaker, should be formed to probe the suspicious death.

The Pakistan Peoples Party, which is the ruling party in Sindh, had resisted the demands, insisting that Aziz's death was a "provincial matter" and forming a JIT by the National Assembly speaker would amount to interference.