Islamabad: The Supreme Court has fixed Arshad Sharif’s murder case on March 17 for hearing.

A five-member larger bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial will hear the case on Friday.

In the five-member larger bench, apart from the Chief Justice, Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan, Justice Muneeb Akhtar, Justice Jamal Khan Mandukhel and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar are also included in the bench.

The Supreme Court issued notices to the family members of the slain journalist along with the JIT members, FIA, IB chiefs as well as Home Secretary, Foreign Secretary and Information Secretary.

It should be remembered that even earlier the Supreme Court had appointed Arshad Sharif to hear the notice case which was de-listed by the Registrar’s Office due to non-availability of a bench.

It should be noted that the special JIT of the Arshad Sharif murder case had submitted the progress report in the Supreme Court in a sealed envelope.

According to the sources, the Special JIT had said in the report that the investigation into the murder of journalist Arshad Sharif is going on, but the statements of many local and foreign witnesses are being recorded. Soon, the JIT will visit Kenya and London twice.

The Supreme Court had ordered the JIT to submit a progress report every 15 days.