ISLAMABAD – Senior Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif’s body has been taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences for a post-mortem as his remains arrived in his homeland days after his brutal killing in Kenya.
Reports in local media suggest that the body of the slain journalist was moved to state-owned medical facility from Quadi-e-Azam International Hospital for a post-mortem examination at the request of the family.
Meanwhile, the senior doctors’ committee of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences has been formed to conduct the medico-legal procedure.
Meanwhile, a heavy contingent of law enforces and Frontier Corps deployed outside the medical facility as the former ruling Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf leaders announced protest.
Slain journalist receives hero’s welcome as body reaches homeland
Earlier in the day, the body of slain journalist Arshad Sharif arrived in the wee hours of Wednesday in the country’s federal capital.
A number of journalists, activists, government officials, and former ruling PTI leaders rushed to the Islamabad airport to receive Arshad’s body. His body arrived aboard Qatar Airways flight QR-632.
Sharif’s widow, who is also a journalist, took to Twitter, saying “Finally I reunite with my husband after months but he was in coffin and noor smile on his face. I try to wake-up him up but no response.”
‘Who forced Arshad Sharif to leave Pakistan?’ DG ISPR calls for probe into journalist’s murder
On Tuesday, the Pakistani government decided to start a judicial inquiry into Sharif’s killing. The inquiry came as Pakistan Army Headquarters wrote to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to launch a probe into the mysterious murder.
Kenyan police earlier confirmed that Sharif was shot dead in a case of ‘mistaken identity’ along the Nairobi-Magadi highway.
Kenyan local publication, The Star, quoting law enforcers said Arshad Sharif was killed in Sunday night’s shooting, saying the killing turned out to be a case of mistaken identity.
It further added that Sharif, who specialized in investigative journalism, was shot in the head as he and his driver allegedly breached a barricade.
Talking to a private TV channel, DG Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Babar Iftikhar urged the government to launch a high-level probe into the killing of the senior journalist.
He said that it should also be investigated who “forced” the slain journalist to leave Pakistan and go abroad.
He said that the probe into the incident is essential to give reply to those who are hurling allegations at the institution.
He said that people who are leveling allegations against the institutions should come forward if they had any evidence.
Govt includes IB, ISI officers in high-level committee to probe Arshad Sharif s killing
Meanwhile, former prime minister and PTI chairman Imran Khan claimed that Sharif had been killed in a targeted attack. He further said that he had advised the slain journalist to move out of the country after getting reports of his assassination.
Arshad Sharif, a known critic of the incumbent government and institutions, had left South Asian country earlier this year after being booked in sedition cases.
