WASHINGTON
(Dunya News) – The United States on Monday strongly condemned the murder of Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif in Kenya, Dunya News reported.
He expressed condolences to Arshad’s family members and his loved ones, and to all those who knew him.
US State Department spokesperson demanded full investigation by the Government of Kenya into Arshad Sharif’s death. He said that it’s not entirely clear that we
Ned Price said that we fully believe in the protection of journalists and the right to freedom of expression and added that USAID has a number of programs to work with governments around the world to bolster those rights, to bolster independent media
US strongly condemns murder of Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif
Arshad Sharif
Arshad Sharif (February 1973 – 23 October 2022) was a Pakistani journalist, writer and television news anchor.
He specialised in investigative journalism and covered many political events in the country for national and international news organisations, including the United Kingdom.
On 23 March 2019, he was awarded the Pride of Performance by the President of Pakistan Arif Alvi for his contributions to journalism. He was killed in Kenya on 23 October 2022.
Sharif was the host of the program Power Play on ARY News.
He served on AAJ News as News Director.
he was leading the news team of Dunya News as Director of News,
and was the host of the program Kyun.
Early life
Arshad Sharif was born in Karachi, Pakistan, to a Commander of the Pakistan Navy, Muhammad Sharif TI(M) TK.
He received his Master of Science in Public Administration from Quaid-i-Azam University in Islamabad.
Journalistic career
Sharif covered conflicts in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas with a specialization in defence and foreign affairs.
He reported for leading Pakistani news organizations from London, Paris, Strasbourg, and Kiel.
He was the winner of a 2012 Agahi Award.
Sharif as anchor and Adeel Raja as producer won the 2016 Investigative Journalist of the Year Award for the programme Powerplay.
Sharif started his programme Power Play on ARY News in 2014.
Death
Sharif was shot and killed in Kajiado, Kenya by local police on 23 October 2022.
On 24 October, the Kenyan Independent Police Oversight Authority announced an investigation into Sharif’s death.
Reaction
News of Sharif’s killing was met with shock in Pakistan and abroad.
The President of Pakistan Arif Alvi described Sharif’s death as “a great loss to journalism and Pakistan”. The Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif described the killing as “shocking news”.
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan wrote
Afzal Butt, president of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), expressed his grief at the news and called for an inquiry into the killing of Sharif. Journalist Kamran Khan questioned the government on Twitter and asked the Prime Minister to take “the nation in confidence”.
Close friends and colleagues arrived at Sharif’s home to express their condolences, including Imran Khan and Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad.
Personal life
Arshad Sharif’s father Commander Muhammad Sharif died of a heart attack at the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology in May 2011.
On hearing about the death of his father, Major Ashraf Sharif, left Bannu Cantonment refusing a chauffeur or escort. A few kilometres away, his vehicle veered off the road and hit a tree, killing him.
He worked as a Bureau Chief of Dawn News in 2011.
His first media job was with a weekly publication, Pulse. He served as a columnist, reporter, and managing editor in 1999. Arshad Sharif joined The News in 1999 and Daily Dawn in 2001.
Awards and recognition
Pride of Performance Award in 2019 by the President of Pakistan
Agahi Award for Journalism in 2012