Judicial panel to probe journalist’s murder

PM Shehbaz says he will approach IHC for formation of judicial commission

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced on Tuesday that a judicial commission will investigate the killing of renowned journalist Arshad Sharif in Kenya the other day.

In a statement followed by video statements of the prime minister from Saudi Arabia, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said that the prime minister had decided to conduct a “transparent inquiry” into the grisly incident.

Arshad Sharif, a strong supporter of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan, was shot dead in Kenya on Sunday. The death of the journalist sent shock waves across rights organisations, the media fraternity and civil society and prompted calls for thorough investigation and disclosure of facts.

In the video statement, Shehbaz expressed grief over the incident. He announced that the government would approach the Islamabad High Court (IHC) for the formation of the commission.

Shehbaz also said that the decision would be formally ratified by the cabinet. “I assure the nation that there will be a fair and transparent investigation into this very sad incident and the facts will be brought before the people,” he said.

Shehbaz condemned the killing and stated that the people of Pakistan were deeply saddened by the death of Arshad Sharif, adding that no amount of condemnation was enough for the incident.

“Before leaving for Saudi Arabia yesterday, I personally spoke to the president of Kenya and requested that he may send us the investigation report immediately and play his role in returning the body to Pakistan,” he added.

Arshad Sharif, 49, was a frequent critic of the establishment and supporter of former prime minister Imran Khan, who was ousted in a parliamentary no-confidence vote in April.

According to the Kenyan police, the journalist was fatally wounded while travelling in a car along with his brother Khurram Ahmed in the Magadi area, 40 kilometres from the capital Nairobi.

Kenyan national police spokesman Bruno Shioso said the journalist was shot dead by an officer after his car drove through a police barrier. “It is then that they were shot at, fatally injuring late Arshad Mohammed Sharif,” he said.

According to a police report seen by AFP, the car carrying the two men was struck by around nine bullets, but continued on to the home of another Pakistani national. There, Sharif was found to be dead “with a gunshot wound on the head which had penetrated from the back”.

The report said that the police at the time had been on the lookout for a stolen car and an abducted person and had set up a makeshift roadblock. Earlier this month, the Kenyan president had vowed to disband a police unit accused of extrajudicial killings.

Prime Minister Shehbaz said in a tweet that a judicial probe would be conducted into the death of Arshad Sharif “to determine the facts of the tragic incident in a transparent & conclusive manner”.

(WITH INPUT FROM AFP)