Arshad Sharif killed in targeted attack, says Rana Sanaullah

Pakistan’s interior minister, Rana Sanaullah, has said on Tuesday that evidence pointed out that a Pakistani journalist is the victim of a deliberate death in Kenya rather than an accident.

Pakistan famous journalist and anchorperson Arshad Sharif was shot dead in Kenya’s city of Nairobi on 23 October.

Sana told the media on Tuesday that Arshad Sharif’s death is not a case of mistaken identity. I can say based on the evidence we have received so far this prima facie is a targeted killing.

The minister further stated that although the investigation team had returned from Kenya still Kenyan authorities had not yet allowed Pakistani investigators access to all of Sharif’s recovered property.

The foreign office will now get in touch with the Kenyan administration and the prime minister will speak with the president of Kenya, the minister announced.

However, Kenyan police stated that they were not aware of any accusations of non-cooperation from Pakistani officials.

Police spokesperson Isohi Shioso stated that we haven’t received any such complaints, which, if any, will have to be lodged properly.

Earlier on November 7, Pakistan investigators requested information from Kenyan authorities regarding Waqar Ahmed his wife Morin Waqar, and Khurram Ahmad’s phone calls and past to aid in the investigation into the death of journalist Arshad Sharif.

Authorities in Kenya had also been urged by Pakistani investigators to provide the names, ranks, and contact information of all police personnel involved in the shooting incident.

Pakistani investigators Deputy Director General Intelligence Bureau (IB) Omar Shahid Hamid and Director of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Muhammad Athar Waheed returned to Pakistan after concluding their probe in Nairobi.

The Pakistani delegation had meetings with Kenyan intelligence agents, police officers, and other government officials while they were in Nairobi. Along with the shooting range, they also went to the location of Sharif’s murder.

Waqar has disclosed to the Pakistani and Kenyan investigators that Tariq Wasi, the CEO of the Karachi Kings requested him to give Sharif a sponsorship letter.

Pakistan investigators also asked for the list of people Sharif contacted during his stay in Kenya and people he met.

According to media reports, Sharif Kenya’s visit visa was sponsored and didn’t get the entry visa on arrival.

Waqar and Khurram had been ordered to submit CCTV video of the Nairobi apartment where Ashraf resided and the training facility outside of Nairobi where Sharif was last seen alive before his untimely death by investigators probing into the murder of journalist Sharif.

The Nairobi-based real estate developer Waqar the brother of Khurram sent the letter of sponsorship for Sharif to travel to Kenya, who was driving Sharif on the tragic night of October 23, 2022 when Sharif was killed by the Kenyan police in a remote region

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on 8 November also wrote a letter to Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Bandiayal to form a judicial commission to investigate the death of the journalist.

The mother of the deceased journalist in a letter to the CJP also appealed for the formation of a high-powered judicial commission to investigate the cause of death.

His mother also approached Islamabad High Court against the delay in the postmortem report.

In response to this, the commission’s head stated that the commission will not be able to proceed with the investigation due to the dissatisfaction of Sharif’s mother with the commission.

Initially, 3 member commission was formed including ISI Lt Col Saad Ahmed but the size was reduced to 2 members.

Kenyan police first named the killing as a mistaken identity case but Khurram during the investigation revealed that someone deliberately started shooting at the vehicle.

Kurram also revealed that Kenyan officials have taken possession of Arshad’s Mobile and iPad.

Whereas, an injured Kenyan cop revealed that the shooting started from Arshad’s car.

The 49 years old journalist fled the nation in August to avoid being detained after being charged with several offences, including sedition for speaking with PTI politician Shahbaz Gill after the latter made divisive remarks.