Journalist Arshad Sharif Reported Dead In Kenya: Social Media Rife With Shock And Accusations

byUsman Farooq -
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Journalist Arshad Sharif allegedly died in Kenya after being shot, according to his wife Javeria Siddique, who made the announcement early on Monday.

 


“I lost friend, husband and my favorite journalist [Arshad Sharif] today, as per police he was shot in Kenya,” she tweeted.

Asim Iftikhar, a spokesman for the Foreign Office, stated that the Pakistan High Commission in Kenya was gathering information from the authorities.

The journalist's death and the circumstances surrounding it have not yet been officially confirmed by authorities in either nation. Initially reporting that Sharif was shot to death, several Pakistani media agencies later said he passed away in an accident.

Later, Sharif's wife tweeted that the journalist had been killed by gunfire in Kenya.

Sharif, a vocal opponent of the country's establishment and the current administration, departed Pakistan earlier this year after sedition proceedings were filed against him in various locations.

Condolences for Arshad Sharif

Coworkers and politicians expressed their condolences following the journalist's passing.

President Dr. Arif Alvi termed Sharif’s death a loss for journalism and Pakistan. “May his soul rest in peace and may his family, which includes his followers, have the strength to bear this loss,” Alvi said.

 

 PTI's official channel stated

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he was deeply saddened. He offered condolences and prayers for the journalist’s family.

 

“My brother, my friend, my colleague Arshad Shareef was shot dead in Kenya … I still can’t believe it. It’s beyond heart breaking. This is just wrong … this is painful … I love u brother,” ARY News anchorperson Kashif Abbasi tweeted.

 

Unbelievable! Never expected things to reach this level! Sitting at Arshad's home, May Allah bless his soul and destroy families of these criminals! It was a sniper shot in head; who is forcing media to report this as "accident"?. It was murder, targeted killing by an Assasin! Moeed Pirzada.

“Arshad Sharif, not just a colleague, a brother, is no more. From Islamabad to Moscow, from Dunya News to ARY, I’ve not known a finer gentleman. Shot dead. Too young. Too brutally,” Hum News anchorperson Meher Bokhari tweeted.

 

PTI Secretary General Asad Umar and Senator Azam Swati also said they were shocked and devastated by the news of Sharif’s death.

Journalists Kamran Khan and Shahbaz Rana called for an investigation into Sharif’s killing.

 

IHC instructs officials to meet Sharif’s family

Athar Minallah, Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court (IHC), gave the order to meet with the journalist's family right away as the petition for an investigation into Sharif's murder was being heard on Monday.

The federal and interior secretaries received notifications from the court, and their respective ministries were ordered to produce reports by tomorrow.

A copy of Advocate Shoaib Razzaq's plea, which asks the court to appoint a judicial commission to look into the journalist's forced flight from Pakistan to the United Arab Emirates, is accessible at Dawn.com.

The petition added that the judicial committee may also be instructed to coordinate with national agencies and Kenyan agencies and conduct an investigation into the horrific crime that had caused the unjustified cold-blooded murder of Arshad Sharif.

Additionally, it asked the court to order the journalist's body to be sent to Pakistan.

Cases against Arshad Sharif

Police had earlier this year charged Sharif, ARY Digital Network CEO Salman Iqbal, Head of News and Current Affairs Ammad Yousaf, anchor Khawar Ghumman, and a producer with sedition in relation to a contentious interview with PTI leader Dr. Shahbaz Gill that was aired on the channel on August 8

The channel's no-objection licence was revoked by the Interior Ministry a day later, claiming "adverse reports from agencies" as justification. This decision was eventually overturned by a Sindh High Court judgement.

The Pakistan Penal Code Sections 131 (aiding mutiny, or attempting to seduce a soldier, sailor, or airman away from his duty), 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), and 505 (statements conducive to public mischief) were all included in the FIRs, which were registered in Hyderabad and Karachi.

The FIRs made reference to Sharif's remarks in a discussion with journalist Matiullah Jan that was posted on the journalist's YouTube channel, in which Sharif is accused of "disrespecting" government institutions and making remarks that sought to "spread hate in the army and create a hateful atmosphere."

Sharif and ARY News journalist Sabir Shakir were listed in another FIR in Dadu that was filed under PPC Sections 131, 153, and 505 According to the FIR, during a chat between the two, "derogatory language" criticising state institutions was used, and comparisons to Mir Jafar and Mir Sadiq were made. The two, it said, were stirring up opposition to the military and other state institutions.

After then, Sharif had fled the nation.

Later, the ARY Network made the announcement that it had "part ways" with Sharif without giving a reason why, but instead stated that it expected its staff to behave appropriately on social media.

However, the business made no mention of the social media post that led to Sharif's termination.

President Alvi presented Sharif with the Pride of Performance award in March 2019.

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Usman Farooq

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