‘Forensic report to ascertain torture claims’ on slain journalist

PIMS director says Arshad Sharif’s family has not approached them for preliminary medical report

ISLAMABAD:

Amid reports that senior anchorperson Arshad Sharif was tortured before being killed in Kenya, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Director Dr Khalid Masood said on Friday that the facts could only be ascertained after a forensic report.

Sharif was shot dead on the outskirts of Kenyan capital Nairobi on October 23. His death sent shockwaves across rights organisations, the media fraternity and civil society and prompted calls for a thorough investigation and disclosure of facts.

On Wednesday, a private TV channel claimed that the slain journalist was brutally tortured for hours before being shot dead. Quoting “the post-mortem” report, the channel further said that Sharif was shot at from a close range and that it was not the case of mistaken identity.

The report claimed that Sharif’s killing was a 'planned murder', adding that the journalist’s fingernails were pulled and his fingers and ribs were broken. The report further claimed that around '10 American instructors and trainers' were present at the shooting range on the day of Sharif's murder.

Read Sana says Arshad Sharif killed in 'targeted attack'

The report further claimed that the Kenyan authorities did not cooperate with the investigation because they wanted to avoid giving information about the persons present at the range.

Commenting on the matter, Dr Masood confirmed to a local media outlet that there were bruises on the body of Arshad and his nails were removed. However, he added that they had not received the post-mortem report from Kenya so they could not say whether it was torture or the nails were removed for forensic purposes.

Speaking to another media outlet, the PIMS director said that the slain anchorperson’s body had 12 bruises. He also told the interviewer that they had sent the details for forensics to ascertain whether the journalist was tortured.

Dr Masood added that they had given the preliminary medical report to the “quarters concerned”, adding that the late journalist’s mother or wife did not come to them for the report. He, however, added that if they approached them, they would give the report to them since “it is their right”.