ISLAMABAD – The lawyer of senior journalist Arshad Sharif, who was killed in Kenya on Sunday night, has requested the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to form a judicial commission to probe the reason behind the anchorperson’s decision to left Pakistan and what he was doing in the East African country when he was shot dead.
Sharif, who resigned from the one of leading news channels in August, left the country after PTI leader Shahbaz Gill gave what deemed “seditious” remarks during his programme, angering the government and media regulator.
Lawyer Shoaib Razzaq told media that his client was living in Kenya for last two months after he was “forced” to leave the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
“He was living in Kenya for the last two months, as he was forced to leave Dubai, UAE, because authorities there asked him to leave, otherwise he would be deported to Pakistan,” Razzaq told Arab News.
Sharif had left with no choice but to travel to Kenya as it was one of those countries who offered visa on arrival to Pakistani nationals.
Razzaq said that he remained in contact with Sharif on a daily basis, adding that he last time phoned him yesterday. The senior journalist used to say him that he wanted to come back to Pakistan, the lawyer said.
He said that his tragic death had left the family shocked.
Kenyan police have said that Pakistani journalist Arshad 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 last night’s shooting, saying the killing turned out to be a case of mistaken identity involving a Pakistani journalist.
It further added that Sharif, who specialized in investigative journalism, was shot in the head as he and his driver allegedly breached a barricade.
Cops reportedly opened fire after receiving information to intercept a vehicle similar to the one, Sharif and his driver was in, amid a carjacking and abduction incident in the Kenyan capital.
Police told the daily publication that Sharif’s driver was directed to stop for identification but he allegedly peddled through the roadblock which led to a brief chase and shooting that left the journalist dead.
PM Shehbaz asks Kenyan president to ensure fair probe into Arshad Sharif’s killing
