This govt wanted to kill Arshad Sharif in jail, claims Fawad Chaudhry

ISLAMABAD: Former federal minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry has claimed that the incumbent government wanted to kill senior journalist Arshad Sharif in jail, ARY News reported on Thursday.

Fawad Chaudhry made these remarks while addressing a joint press conference along with senior TPI leadership Asad Umar, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Shireen Mazari and other party members.

The media talk came hours after Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lt Gen Nadeem Ahmed Anjum and Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) DG Lt Gen Babar Iftikhar held a press conference in which they spoke about Arshad Sharif’s killing.

Speaking to the journalist, Fawad said his party was shocked by military leaders’ press conference. “The press conference held by the ISPR today, I was shocked,” he said.

“If Rana Sanaullah or Khawaja Asif hold press conference, we can respond to them. But press conference held by institutions there is a certain level of respect. We can’t respond to them,” he added.

The former information minister further said that along with the respect of the institutions, it was also important to respect the people’s choice. “Since the day of the no-confidence motion, the nation have shown who they want as the leader of the country,” he added.

Referring to military leaders’ demand for an investigation into cypher – which former prime minister Imran Khan touted as evidence of a foreign conspiracy, Fawad said his party had been demanding the same since the first day.

“Even, President [Dr Arif Alvi] wrote a letter to Supreme Court for an investigation into the cypher. If the cypher is untrue, why hasn’t it been probed?” he asked, demanding a power commission for cypher probe and Arshad Sharif’s killing.

Speaking of Sharif’s killing in Kenya, Fawad said that the threats received by the deceased were “not hidden from anybody as he had also informed the president about the threat to his life in a letter.”

The PTI leader also said the slain journalist did not leave Pakistan on the directions of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government; “he left Pakistan because he wasn’t being allowed to speak.”

‘Long march will be in limits of law’

At the outset of the press conference, former foreign minister and PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi slammed party leader Faisal Vawda for ‘spreading fear among people’, promising that it will be peaceful.

A day earlier, Faisal Vawda alleged that blood would be shed and bodies would fall during the PTI long march — slated to commence from Lahore on Friday, October 28.

In response to the claims, Qureshi said that his presser was an attempt to spread fear among people. “Immediately after the announcement of the march, we received information that there people were enthusiastic and had started preparing from it”.

The former minister added it was being said that PTI was trying to spur political instability. “We did not create political instability, instead, we think political instability has arrived and are presenting a democratic solution — elections.”

Regarding ISPR and ISI’s press conference, Qureshi said: “If every institution remains and works within its role then it will be easier and no difficulties will be created.” He added that PTI had always respected institutions and defended them.

“To give the perception that we want to damage the sanctity of institution is contrary to reality. Imran Khan has reiterated that a strong army is the need of Pakistan,” he said.

Earlier in the day, DG ISI Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum said that the senior journalist Arshad Sharif did not face any threat in Pakistan and had contacts with the establishment.

In an unprecedented move, DG ISI Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum made an appearance in today’s joint press conference with Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lieutenant General Babar Iftikhar.

Talking about the late journalist Arshad Sharif, the ISI chief praised Sharif as a competent, hardworking and able journalist. DG ISI stated that as per his reports, Arshad did not face any threat in Pakistan and was in contact with the establishment.

“When he went abroad, he was still in contact [with the establishment],” Lt Gen Anjum said. The DG ISI said he was in contact with his Kenyan counterpart regarding the probe into the death of a senior journalist.