The body of well-known Pakistani television journalist Arshad Sharif is being repatriated to Pakistan on Tuesday from Nairobi, Kenya, two days after he was allegedly killed by police at a roadblock on the outskirts of the Kenyan capital.
Sharif was reportedly working on a documentary about a Pakistani criminal cartel that had ties in Kenya when he was killed.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said earlier on social media he had spoken to Kenyan President William Ruto and was assured that he would investigate the killing. He is not related to the journalist.
Kenya National Police Service (NPS) said in a statement that Sharif was killed by officers manning a roadblock after they mistook him and his brother Khurram Ahmed for kidnappers who had fled with a child from the Starehe neighbourhood in Nairobi.
The statement added that their car, driven by Khurram, went through a police roadblock late Sunday evening that had been hastily constructed using small stones. The officers opened fire as the car went through without stopping. Nine bullets hit the car, and one hit Sharif in the head.
Corruption documentary
Sharif had left Pakistan after threats on his life for critically reporting on the current prime minister.
According to the US-based Committee to Protect Journalists, Sharif left Pakistan after police issued an arrest warrant following his interview on ARY TV with Shahbaz Gill, a close aide to former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who made comments considered offensive by the military.
Private Pakistani channel ARY TV was briefly taken off the air. ARY TV said on social media it was firing Sharif for breach of conduct.
He reportedly came to Kenya in August, and he had been working on a documentary that featured Kenyan investigative reporter John-Allan Namu. “Behind Closed Doors” was focusing on what International Human Rights Foundation permanent member Adil Raja called “state sponsored criminal cartel of Pakistan.”
Arshad Sharif's latest work, the documentary: #BehindClosedDoors and his YouTube Vlogs seem to be the reason of his assassination by the state sponsored criminal cartel of Pakistan.#ArshadSharifShaheed pic.twitter.com/n2YKwOYlRE
— Adil Raja (@soldierspeaks) October 24, 2022
Former prime minister Imran Khan came out, condemning former ARY prime time news anchor Sharif’s killing, saying he was murdered for his journalism and called for an investigation.
Kenya police watchdog Independent Police Oversight Authority said it was opening a probe into the case.
"There's an alleged police killing of a Pakistani national at Tinga market, Kajiado county, last evening. Our rapid response team has already been dispatched," said IPOA Chairperson Ann Makori on Monday.
The US also pressed the Kenyan government to investigate the death.
“We're deeply saddened by the death of Arshad Sharif. We encourage a full investigation by the government of Kenya into his death," said US State Department spokesman Ned Price.
The body was flown from Nairobi to Doha, Qatar before arriving in Pakistan on Tuesday. The funeral will be held on Thursday.
