Ulster University in Ireland has announced the launch of an award named after the slain Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif, who was assassinated in Kenya on 23rd October.
Dr Colm Murphy penned a letter to the late journalist’s wife, Somiya Arshad, and requested her permission for the “Best Investigative Journalist Award” to be named after Arshad Sharif.
The letter had explained that the Arshad Sharif award would be given to students for the best articles produced each year. In doing so, this award will honor Sharif’s legacy to fight for the truth and become a beacon of hope for the next generation’s journalists.
Dr Murphy further expressed his condolences to Sharif’s family for their loss, and also noted that Arshad was an important alumni of the university, since he had graduated 17 years ago after completing his MA in Media Studies from the University.
Tag: arshad sharif
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University in Ireland announces award named after journalist Arshad Sharif
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Arshad Sharif murder: Govt forms new investigation team after SC suo motu
The federal government has formed a new Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to probe the murder of journalist Arshad Sharif after the Supreme Court (SC) took suo motu of the slaying and ordered that a new team be formed.
Chief Justice of Pakistan, (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, is heading the five-member bench that is hearing the suo motu case.
During Thursday’s hearing, the federal government informed the apex court that a new JIT has been constituted, including members DIG Islamabad Owais Ahmed, Director Cybercrime FIA Waqaruddin Syed, Sajid Kayani from Intelligence Bureau, Murtaza Afzal from Military Intelligence and Mohammad Aslam from Inter-Services Intelligence.
Additional Attorney General (AAG) Chaudhry Amir Rehman informed the court that an investigation into the murder is being launched immediately, specifying that the JIT would first record the statement of the slain journalist’s mother.
“The JIT will probe all relevant persons in Pakistan and then start investigations in Kenya,” the AAG added.
The chief justice stressed an impartial and transparent investigation and directed the JIT to submit a progress report fortnightly. The top court also said that “JIT can approach the Supreme Court in case it faces any hurdle.”
Moreover, the SC stated that the team should submit progress reports to judges in chambers for review.
A day earlier, the apex court sought the names of senior and competent for the JIT from the government.
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CJ takes notice of ‘brutal killing’ of Arshad Sharif
Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Umar Ata Bandial, has taken Suo Moto notice of the ‘brutal killing’ of journalist Arshad Sharif.
The Hon’ble Chief Justice of Pakistan has issued notices to Secretary Interior, Secretary Foreign Affairs, Secretary Information and Broadcasting, DG (FIA), DG (IB) and President PFUJ and has fixed the matter today, on 6th December, 2022 at 12:30pm before a five member larger bench to be headed by Justice Bandial.
Arshad Sharif was assassinated in the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya, on October 23 in what their local police claimed was a case of ‘mistaken identity’.
PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry welcomed the move by the Chief Justice.
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Committee asks PTI’s Murad Saeed to submit Arshad Sharif’s laptop
A fact-finding committee that is currently investigating the murder of senior journalist Arshad Sharif has asked Murad Saeed, leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, (PTI) to provide the slain newsman’s laptop to the committee on November 28.
Geo News has reported that the fact-finding committee has written to Saeed that, “During the proceedings of the finding team it has come on record that you are in possession of the Apple MacBook of deceased senior journalist Arshad Sharif. Therefore you are requested to provide the device of the deceased enabling the fact-finding team to ascertain the facts.”
The committee has also requested Saeed to cooperate.
In his letter to the FIA fact-finding committee written on November 21, Saeed expressed reservations and refused to cooperate.
”The mother of Shaheed Arshad Sharif has already expressed her reservations and expressed dissatisfaction over the govt of Pakistan’s handling of the matter”, Saeed wrote.
However, he said that he is “willing to appear before the judicial commission constituted by the august SC and present all the information he has with respect to the matter.”
Earlier this month, the fact-finding committee summoned Murad Saeed and ex-member of PTI, Faisal Vawda.
Saeed also said that he knew who was threatening the slain journalist in Pakistan, forcing him to flee the country.
On October 23, Sharif was killed by local police in Kenya in what they said was a case of “mistaken identity”.
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Faisal Vawda and Murad Saeed summoned by commission looking into Arshad Sharif’s murder
A fact-finding committee set up by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to investigate the murder of senior journalist and anchorperson Arshad Sharif has Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Murad Saeed and ex-member of the party, Faisal Vawda.
The two politicians have been directed to appear before the committee next week on November 21.
The FIA has said that since both politicians have claimed to have known about the threats that Sharif was facing, it is important that they provide all the details they know to the authorities. The agency sent notices to the two leaders to appear before FIA headquarters with evidence.
Faisal Vawda has claimed he knew who was behind Sharif’s murder. During a press conference, he also claimed that he was in contact with Sharif and stated that he will share evidence with the Military Intelligence (MI) and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
Subsequently, his party membership was revoked. PTI said that he would not be allowed to hold any party office or represent the party in the media as he had “grossly violated discipline by giving statements against party policies and guidelines”.
Saeed has also said that he knew who was threatening the slain journalist in Pakistan, forcing him to flee the country.
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PTI submits petition to Supreme Court to look into attack on Imran Khan
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has on Monday approached five registries of the Supreme Court (SC) in different cities across the country to seek the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the assassination attack on PTI chief Imran Khan in Wazirabad, the secret recording of PTI Senator Azam Swati and his wife and the killing of senior journalist Arshad Sharif in Kenya.
In the plea filed in the Lahore registry, former Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar is the applicant.
The petition about the assassination attempt on Imran Khan maintains that following the incident, another “grave injustice” continues to fester as the police have “refused to register the FIR according to the request submitted by the complainant”.
After the former Prime Minister was shot at during his party’s Long March, an First Information Report (FIR) was not registered. Imran Khan had nominated PM Shehbaz Sharif, Federal Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah and Major-General Faisal Naseer as the conspirators behind the firing incident. However, later, on the SC’s orders, an FIR was registered by the Punjab police on November 8. PTI rejected the report as it did not contain the names of the people whom Khan wanted to nominate.
The petition also sought the formation of a judicial commission into the “illegal private video recording” of Senator Azam Swati and his wife which was allegedly recorded while they were staying at an official rest house in Quetta.
Additionally, the party has also raised the matter of slain journalist Sharif’s murder with the court. The petition said it is crucial that an independent commission inquires about the circumstance that compelled Sharif to flee the country and eventually end up in Kenya.
In a press conference after submitting the petition to the SC’s Lahore Registry, PTI Vice President Shah Mahmood Qureshi also made an announcement regarding the petitions.
He hoped that the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), Umar Ata Bandial, would consider his party’s pleas.
In Karachi, PTI leaders Ali Zaidi and Imran Ismail along with other party members reached the SC registry to file the petition. Meanwhile, former National Assembly deputy speaker Qasim Suri and others moved the plea in Quetta.
Earlier, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif had also written letters to the CJ to form judicial commissions on two issues — the attack on Khan and Arshad Sharif’s murder.
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‘Waqar and Khurram killed Arshad Sharif’: Rana Sanaullah
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that Khurram and his brother Waqar, who were hosting slain journalist Arshad Sharif in Kenya, conspired with local police to kill the newsman.
“This is a joint conspiracy of Waqar, Khurram and five Kenyan police officers,” said the federal minister on Geo News programme “Geo Pakistan” adding that the murder was a “target killing”.
The interior minister said that Sharif went to Kenya from Dubai on Waqar’s sponsorship and he was staying in his flat. He also said that Waqar helped Sharif in getting an online visa.
It is pertinent to mention that when Sharif was shot, Khurram was with him, driving the car, however, he was not injured by police gunfire and remained unharmed.
“We have the record of everything including why Sharif went to Waqar’s house and stayed as a guest,” claimed the minister. He also revealed that Waqar is not being named in the case because the commission has yet to go and look into these matters.
During the interview, Sanaullah said that Sharif didn’t want to leave the country.
The interior minister said that he would request Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif to talk to the Kenyan president again because the Kenyan police are “not cooperating”.
Earlier in the week, “On the Front” host Kamran Shahid unearthed details of the murder on his show, stating, “At eight o clock on the night of October 23, Arshad Sharif was shot while sitting in the car with Khurram, who drove him [Arshad Sharif] via a long route instead of the usual one on the day the anchorperson was martyred.”
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Arshad Sharif ke nakhun utaray gaye, 3 ghantay tashadud keeya gaya, reveals Kamran Shahid
Pakistani journalist and prime-time news anchor Arshad Sharif was brutally tortured for over three hours, Kamran Shahid has revealed on his show. Shahid narrated horrifying details of Arshad Sharif’s autopsy report, including that his nails had been pulled out, his fingers and ribs were also broken and that he had been shot from a close range, including one that was fired at his head.
The “On the Front” host further said that there were 10 American instructors and trainers at the shooting range that Sharif had visited before being killed.
“At eight o clock on the night of October 23, Arshad Sharif was shot while sitting in the car with Khurram, who took him [Arshad Sharif] by a long route instead of the usual one on the day the anchorperson was martyred,” he said.
It was also revealed in Dunya News program that Khurram usually used the shooting range road, but that night he took the Magadi Highway route instead, despite its longer distance.
On his program, Kamran Shahid showed pictures of Arshad Sharif’s body, including close-up photos of his hands, fingers, wrist and a bullet wound.
Shahid later took to Twitter and wrote, “Deleted video of my show that shows the pics of the hands of late Arshad Shareef in the respect of the family — intention is only to pressurise this Govt to tell the truth about his brutal murder— issue the post mortem report and find the killers!”
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PM Shehbaz writes letter to CJ asking to form judicial commission to investigate attack on Imran
Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has written a letter to Chief Justice (CJ) Umar Ata Bandial to request him to form a judicial commission to investigate the attempted assassination on Imran Khan, Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
The premier said that the investigation of the incident was being “mishandled” and in its aftermath a “derogatory campaign” had been launched against the leadership of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and state institutions.
Putting forward five questions before the SC, Shehbaz Sharif has asked which law enforcement agencies were responsible to provide security to Imran’s convoy. He also questioned whether security protocols and other SOPs were put in place to secure the convoy and whether these protocols were adhered to. “What are the facts of the incident itself,” the letter says.
“Whether law enforcement agencies and administrative authorities complied with the prescribed investigation, evidence collection, and handling procedures following the incident,” reads the letter.
The last questions were: “Whether the investigation into the incident is being deliberately impeded? If yes, by which actors and why? Whether the shooting was a result of a criminal conspiracy hatched to assassinate Imran or the act of a lone shooter? Who are the actors responsible in either scenario?”
PM’s letter to CJ about Arshad Sharif’s death
In another letter to the SC, PM Shehbaz — who is currently in Egypt—wrote a letter to CJ Bandial and sought the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the death of slain journalist Arshad Sharif.
The journalist was killed in a “mistaken identity” case last month in Kenya by local police.
The Premier suggested the CJ focus on five questions — through which procedure did Arshad Sharif go abroad in August 2022? Who facilitated Sharif’s departure abroad? Was any federal or provincial agency aware of any threat to Sharif? Was any organisation or administration aware of any threat to Sharif? If Sharif’s life was in danger, what steps were taken to save him? What were the circumstances, and reasons under which Sharif went to Kenya from UAE? What is the truth behind the shooting incident in which Sharif died?
The premier asked the chief justice to form a commission comprising all the justices of the SC. He also assured the apex court that the federal government would provide full support to the commission.
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Arshad Sharif’s mother demands copy of journalist’s postmortem report
The mother of deceased senior journalist and anchorperson Arshad Sharif went to court on Friday and asked for a copy of the results of the postmortem that was performed in Islamabad.
After Sharif’s body was brought back to Pakistan, an autopsy was performed on it before the body was sent to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for burial. Two people who were proposed by Sharif’s family were on the board.
She added that the hospital administration informed them that the report was given to the police and that they did not maintain a copy of the postmortem report and asked the court to hear the case promptly today.
She asked a copy of the postmortem report be given to her in the interest of openness and accused the PIMS administration of making fools of the family of murdered journalist Arshad Sharif.