Year passes to Arshad Sharif’s murder, family awaits justice

A year has passed to the tragic killing of Pakistan’s well-known senior journalist Arshad Sharif in Kenya.

Arshad Sharif had arrived in Nairobi, Kenya, on August 20 and tragically died on October 23 in a shootout, during which his driver, Khurram Ahmad, miraculously survived.

Sharif had left Pakistan in August to avoid arrest, facing multiple charges, including sedition, due to an interview with Shahbaz Gill, a former aide of Imran Khan.

During his time in Kenya, Sharif was staying at the Riverside penthouse owned by businessman Waqar Ahmad, who is Khurram’s brother, the same person who was driving him when he was killed.

The fatal incident occurred while they were heading from the Ammodump Kwenia training camp, owned by Waqar, to Nairobi County.

The wife of the slain journalist had recently filed a case against the Kenyan Elite police unit for her husband’s murder in Kenya last year.

Javeria Siddique, in her petition, named the Attorney General of Kenya, the national police service of the country, and the Director of Public Prosecution as respondents.

She demanded that the officers responsible for Sharif’s murder face trial and be punished for their actions.

She has also requested the court to instruct the Kenyan Attorney General to issue a public apology to Sharif’s family within seven days of the court’s order, acknowledging the facts, taking responsibility, and providing a written apology at a public level.

A fact-finding report in Arshad Sharif’s murder case maintained that the journalist was killed as per a plan and the Kenyan Police didn’t cooperate with the investigation team in this matter.

The fact-finding committee said that in the murder plan the role of many foreign characters and their involvement is significant.

The report also said that the hosts in Kenya – Khurram and Waqar with whom Sharif stayed for more than two months – were reluctant to provide any information however it has been crucial to determine their role in this matter.