PM Kakar seeks Kenyan president's facilitation over probe into journalist Arshad Sharif's murder

• Sharif was shot dead last year on October 23 during his stay in Kenya.
• PM seeks finalisation of Special Joint Investigation Team's report.
• PM Kakar and Kenyan president also discuss bilateral cooperation.

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on Tuesday sought facilitation from Kenyan President Dr William Ruto over the finalisation of the investigation into the murder of Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif.

Journalist and news anchor Sharif was shot dead last year on October 23 during his stay in Kenya.

"The prime minister requested the Kenyan President for facilitation and finalization of the report of Special Joint Investigation Team in the murder case of late Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif," the PM Office said in a statement following the meeting of the two leaders.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation being held in Beijing, China.

Justice remains elusive even almost a year after the killing of the prominent journalist. Kenyan authorities claimed Sharif was shot dead by Kenyan police in an incident that shocked Pakistan's media community and raised several questions.

"This was a targeted killing," his wife of 11 years, Javeria Siddique, told CPJ.

Kenyan national police said Sharif was shot by a police officer after the driver of Sharif's car did not stop at a roadblock set up outside the capital of Nairobi during authorities' search for a stolen motor vehicle.

In December 2022, the Supreme Court took notice of the case and ordered a government investigation into Sharif's death.

In a December report, a government fact-finding team (FFT) found that the Kenyan police portrayal of the killing as a case of mistaken identity was “full of contradictions” and that the involvement of “characters in Kenya, Dubai, and Pakistan in this assassination cannot be ruled out.”

The team also noted that a Pakistan post-mortem report had documented numerous injuries on Sharif's body, including four missing fingernails, hand wounds, and a broken rib, but that the investigation had found “no concrete evidence” to establish that Sharif was tortured before his death.

A first information report (FIR) has also been registered at an Islamabad police station in which three persons — Waqar Ahmed, Khurram Ahmed, and Tariq Ahmed Wasi — have been nominated.

The FIR was registered under Sections 302 (punishment for murder) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

PM's meeting

Moreover, PM Kakar and the Kenyan president discussed bilateral cooperation in diverse fields and reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing bilateral relations in areas of trade, investment, education, and people-to-people contacts.

Both leaders emphasised the importance of economic cooperation and agreed to enhance engagement to realize the true potential of bilateral trade.

PM Kakar said as a fellow member of the Belt and Road Initiative, Pakistan would like to enhance collaboration with other BRI member countries including Kenya to identify and develop new projects and initiatives.

"This commitment underscores Pakistan’s dedication to furthering development and shared prosperity through increased cooperation and partnerships," he said.

President Dr William Ruto echoed the sentiments and expressed his country’s interest in learning from Pakistan’s expertise in sectors like agriculture and healthcare.

PM Kakar extended an invitation to the President of Kenya to visit Pakistan at an early date, which was accepted by him.

He also invited the prime minister to visit Kenya at his earliest convenience. It was agreed that the visits would be finalised through diplomatic channels.