Director General Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lieutenant General Babar Iftikhar has called for a thorough investigation into the killing of journalist Arshad Sharif as well as who forced him to flee the country.
In his audio statement, DG ISPR said that the GHQ has already requested the government to probe the unfortunate incident.
“This needs to be thoroughly investigated. We all are aware that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had talked to the Kenyan president. The two governments are in constant contact. We are receiving the details,” he added.
General Iftikhar said that although the Kenyan government and its police have clearly admitted that it was a case of mistaken identity, a lot of questions have been raised about the circumstances under which the incident took place.
“A highest-level investigation is needed to take it to the logical conclusion, so speculations could be put to rest,” he added.
It is very unfortunate that people are making false and baseless accusations using this incident, said DG ISPR.
He also called for an investigation into why Arshad Sharif had to leave the country. “Who forced Arshad Sharif to leave Pakistan,” asked General Iftikhar.
Arshad Sharif murder
Arshad Sharif was shot in the head and killed by police after he and his driver allegedly breached a roadblock that had been set up to check on motor vehicles using the route, a Kenyan local media claimed.
According to The Star, a Kenyan news website, a senior Pakistani journalist was shot dead Sunday night along the Nairobi-Magadi highway in what the police termed as a case of mistaken identity.
The police said Sharif along with his driver was driving from Magadi Town to Nairobi when they were flagged down at a roadblock being manned by a group of police officers.
Police headquarters said Independent Policing Oversight Authority will take over the case.
According to police, at the roadblock, there was a call for police to intercept a car similar to the one Sharif was driving following a carjacking incident in Pangani area, Nairobi where a child was taken, hostage.
And a few minutes later, Sharif’s car emerged at the roadblock and they were stopped and asked to identify themselves.
They allegedly failed to stop and drove past the roadblock.
This prompted a brief chase and shooting that left Sharif dead. Their car rolled and his driver was injured and taken to hospital.
He later told police he and his slain colleague were developers and were headed for a site in Magadi.
Judicial commission to probe Arshad Sharif’s murder
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday decided to form a judicial commission to be formed to probe Arshad Sharif’s murder in Kenya.
According to Federal Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, the commission will be headed by a high court judge.
The announcement came as the Islamabad High Court refused to make a judicial commission saying that there is no point to constitute the commission at this stage.
The judicial panel can include members from civil society and the media.
The prime minister assured the nation that there will be a fair and transparent investigation and the facts will be brought before the people.
GHQ asks govt to form commission over Sharif’s murder
The GHQ, meanwhile, sent a letter to the federal government and asked to form an inquiry commission to investigate the murder of Arshad Sharif in Kenya.
The letter also requested legal action against the accusers as per the constitution of Pakistan.