ISLAMABAD – Pakistani JIT members headed to Kenya as constitutional court reopens case after new legal, political, and international twists.
The long-simmering mystery surrounding brutal killing of prominent Pakistani journalist and anchor Arshad Sharif erupted once again, as Pakistan’s Federal Constitutional Court has been informed that Joint Investigation Team (JIT) will travel to Kenya to collect on-ground evidence, potentially unlocking answers in one of the most controversial journalist killings in recent history.
Sharif was shot dead on October 23, 2022, on the outskirts of Nairobi a killing that immediately sparked global outrage, diplomatic unease, and demands for accountability. Taking suo motu notice, the Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered the formation of a JIT to investigate the murder. Following the 27th Constitutional Amendment, the case was later transferred to the Federal Constitutional Court, which demanded a detailed update from the federal government on the investigation’s progress.
A two-member bench comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Rozi Khan heard the case. During the proceedings, Additional Attorney General submitted detailed progress report, informing court that the JIT’s mandate is now clear: travel to Kenya and gather evidence directly from the crime scene and relevant authorities.
The report submitted to the court outlines steps already taken by government, details of the JIT’s investigations, and proposals for future action. However, the full contents of the report remain classified, adding another layer of intrigue to the already complex case.
The court was told that once the JIT conducts a site inspection in Kenya, it will finalise its probe. The court subsequently adjourned further hearings until after the winter vacations, setting the stage for potentially explosive revelations in the coming months.
According to Kenyan authorities, Sharif was killed when police opened fire on his vehicle due to mistaken identity. Kenyan police later publicly admitted the error, and the officers involved were arrested. However, in a move that reignited controversy and suspicion, the same officers were later reinstated into service, raising serious questions about accountability and transparency.
Refusing to let case fade into silence, Arshad Sharif’s widow, Javeria Siddiq, filed a case in Kenya against the police officers involved. In her petition, five individuals were named on charges of attempted murder. Her legal team argued that the vehicle police were chasing did not contain Arshad Sharif, and despite this knowledge, firing on the vehicle amounted to a criminal act.
In a major breakthrough, on July 8, 2024, a Kenyan court ordered criminal proceedings against two police officers, validating long-standing concerns and giving fresh hope to calls for justice.
While initial reports pointed to mistaken identity, later media accounts complicated the story further, claiming that a person traveling in Arshad Sharif’s vehicle fired at paramilitary General Service Unit (GSU) officers, prompting a lethal response. These contradictory versions turned the killing into an internationally disputed incident, forcing Kenyan police to later hold a press conference in an attempt to clarify the sequence of events.
Arshad Sharif, one of Pakistan’s most recognized journalists and anchors, had left Pakistan in August 2022 after multiple cases were registered against him. He first relocated to the United Arab Emirates before moving to Kenya, where he would be killed just weeks later.
Nearly two years on, the case remains a symbol of press freedom under threat, unanswered questions, and cross-border accountability. With the Pakistani JIT now preparing to land in Kenya, the investigation enters a decisive phase that could finally reveal who pulled the trigger, who ordered it, and who was protected afterward.
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