By Afshain Afzal

Kenya is a beautiful country where the founder of Pakistan, Quaid e Azam Mohammad Alhi Jinnah was most wealthy businessman and owned huge properties. Pakistan and Kenya enjoy good brotherly relations. Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah was so much linked with cause of Africa that in his life time he drafted notes to give special status to Africa and Latin America. Article 40 of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan provides, "The State shall endeavour to preserve and strengthen fraternal relations among Muslim countries based on Islamic unity, support the common interests of the peoples of Asia, Africa and Latin America, promote international peace and security, foster goodwill and friendly relations among all nations and encourage the settlement of international disputes by peaceful means."
An unfortunate incident has taken place in which a Karachi based senior Pakistani journalist, Arshad Sharif was killed as a result of Kenyan police action. Police killed Arshad Sharif on Sunday evening after the car was sprayed with live bullets. The area where he was killed was near his friend's farm. The Kwenia farms bearing sign boards "Restricted Area" was used as a hotel and shooting range was frequently visited by Arshad Sharif and his brother Khurram Ahmed. On evening 23 October 2022, when both left they farm for Narobi on venicle bearing registration number KGM 200M, Police in Magadi area, Kajiado country opened fire when vehicle crossed the checkpost resulting in the tragic incident.
In private meeting Arshad Sharif showed interest migrating to foreign countries. He was impressed by former US Ambassador and journalist Hussain Haqqani and Farahnaz Ishphani and wanted to follow their foot steps. Hussain Haqqani and Farahnaz Ishphani tweeted condolences on his death. If we recall, Arshad Sharif was also awarded Pride of Performance during PTI tenure on 23 March 2019. He was strongly affiliated with a political party that at the venue of inauguration of Phase II of China Pakistan Economic Corridor by former PM Imran Ahmed Khan Naizi on 4 July 2021, Arshad Sharif gave a thrashing to Siddique Jan and carried out brutal violence.
According to Kenyan Police statement, "It was reported to Magadi police station vide OB 14/23/10/2022 at 22.00hrs that along Kuenia farm/ Kamukuru marram a shooting incident involving GSU officers had occurred and one Pakistan national namely Arshad Mohammed Shariff aged 50 years had been fatally shot while he was been driven in a motor vehicle registration number KDG 200M along that road when the deceased and his brother Khurram Ahmed were driving back to Nairobi," The statement said, "Douglas Wainaina reported to the Pangani Police Station that his car had been stolen and his son Dancan Kamau was in the car.
"It started when officers from DCI Starehe circulated a report of theft of a motor vehicle/abduction vide OB 70/23/10/2022 that one Douglas Wainaina parked his motor vehicle registration number KDJ 700F outside an electrical shop and left his son namely Dancan Kamau inside the said motor vehicle," reads the statement." The son was later found at Olosuritia ACK Church within Kiserian. The Police report said, "Upon scrutiny of the said motor vehicle, it had a bullet hole on the left side of the windscreen on the side the deceased was sitting, two bullet holes on the rear left back screen, one bullet hole on the rear right door, four holes right side of the boot and one front right tyre that had been deplated. The said Pakistan nationals claim that they are developers and reside in Nairobi. Scene was documented and the body taken to Chiromo mortuary awaiting postmortem." .
The Ministry of Interior, Government of Pakistan while issued another notification of 26 October, constituting a team comprising of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director Athar Waheed and Intelligence Bureau Deputy Director General Omar Shahid Hamid of Intelligence Bur­eau (IB)to ascertain the facts related to murder of Arshad Sharif and probe reasons and circumstance that compelled Arshad Sharif to flee Pakistan in August 2022, first to Dubai and then to Kenya. The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has raised objection on the constitution of team, especially Director FIA on the ground that it is linked with ruling government. Shareen Mazari tweeted, "Athar Waheed had as SP Gujranwala in 2009 openly proclaimed affiliation with Nawaz Sharif. Why is he leading this team bc one element of probe would be the documentary Arshad was associated with on Sharif's corruption. Sharifs & their cabal of crooks can never do anything honest!"
Although, the Police have pronounced that the case was a matter of "mistaken identity but an investigation is in progress. The Kenya's police oversight authority is investigating the shooting death of well-known Pakistani investigative journalist. According to initial probe the the vehicle speeded up and did not stop at the errected barrier when signaled to stop. Hence, police opened fire. Kenya's police personnel involved claimed that said they mistook the vehicle, driven by Arshad Sharif’s brother, for one connected to a child kidnapping in Nairobi. When the car didn’t stop at the checkpoint, they shot at the vehicle.
Arshad Sharif left Pakistan in July to avoid arrest following a citizen's complaint against him on allegations of maligning the country's national institutions including military. Whatever the case may be, the incident was tragic and truth must come to the surface. Neither such killings nor faulty probes can compel the journalist of conscience to stop sharing the truth. It is time to wait and see how the teams investigating the case may reach the truth.