By Afshain Afzal

There was leak about bogus Cypher message as there was no such official telegram ever send by any Pakistani Embassy but some recording was made public to give a message to someone that proof is held. We must ensure mouths shut as unless strong evidence is not there, making it public is a crime. There must be something else as a former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Ahmed Khan Naizi claimed that he had twice advised Arshad Sharif, to leave the country. The question arises why Imran Ahmed did not flee the country when he spelled out many times including during Arshad Sharif exclusive interview with Prime Minister Imran Khan ARY News dated 1 April 2022, when Imran Khan said, “Aaj Main Yeh Sub Kay Samnay Keh Raha Hoon Main Meri Jan Ko Khatra Haih” My Life is in Danger.

We have on record that on the petition by Ashraf Sharif in April 2022, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) directed FIA’s Director-General and Islamabad Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to ensure that no journalist was unnecessarily harassed. Fast forward, on 10 August 2022, Ashraf Sharif left from Baacha Khan International Airport for Dubai on Emirates Flight PK-637 for onward move to Kenya. There is an important question; why after the Police firing that killed Ashraf Sharif, Khurram Ahmed, who was driving the Land Cruiser fired upon by Police, claimed to be brother of Arshad Sharif at Magadi Police Station. Did he mean brother or brother in law related to his Arshad’s Javaria Siddiqui or it was just an eye wash? These clues cannot be ignored by mere claiming that Khurram Ahmed was not their brother. Kenyan National Police Service (NPS) claim of ‘mistaken identity’ and they were tricked into shooting the Pakistani national namely Arshad Sharif. This means that Kenya is the point where the investigation need to be started and concluded here too.

With regard to the killing of Arshad Sharif, the recent joint press conference by Director General, Inter Services Intelligence, Lieutenant General Nadeem Ahmed Anjum and Director General, Inter Services Public Relations, Lieutenant General Babar Iftikhar on 27 October 2022, has made thing further complicated. No doubt, these are constitutional organizations and are playing due role or obliged to play their constitutional role as set code of conduct. Constitution does not allow anyone to overstep the prescribed limits. In another development, in the light of joint conference comments that ARY News CEO Salman Iqbal should be included in the investigation, Salman Iqbal has demanded an independent probe led by the United Nations into the killing of journalist Arshad Sharif.

Let us look into the second evidence. It was in February 2021, when reports were made public by news anchor, Arshad Sharif, who claimed to have proof of "Indian and Jewish" foreign funding of Imran Khan Naizi's party, mentioning Barry C. Schneps by name. Name of American national, M. Asif Chaudhary, who worked in the law office of Barry C. Schneps that donation between $750 to $1000 on behalf of himself and three other local friends to PTI in 2012. We all know that foreign funding of parties in Pakistan is forbidden according to the Elections Act. The story does not end here but, in fact, starts from here. The role of Indian, Kenyan and Pakistani actors and stakeholders need not to be afraid in coming forward in sharing the truth as the Pakistani and Kenyan institution need to be protected and eliminated from rouge elements.