Punjab, Sindh assemblies condemn Arshad Sharif’s killing in Kenya

LAHORE/ KARACHI: Sindh and Punjab assemblies passed separate resolutions, condemning the killing of senior journalist and former anchorperson ARY News Arshad Sharif in Kenya, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

According to details, Provincial Minister for Communications and Works Ali Afzal Sahi tabled the resolution, condemning the killing of senior journalist in Kenya.

While condemning the incident, the resolution demanded a transparent judicial investigation into the killing of the journalists.

“The killing of Arshad Sharif was an attack on freedom of press”, the resolution stated. The resolution was passed unanimously by the Punjab Assembly.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MPA Saeed Afridi tabled the resolution in the Sindh Assembly. “He [Sharif] was the voice of common people used to deliver factual information,” Saeed Afridi said in the resolution.

Saeed Afridi also demanded a judicial inquiry into the killing, saying that the preparators should be brought to be arrested as soon as possible.

Arshad Sharif was shot dead in Kenya by the local police on Sunday night along the Nairobi-Magadi highway in a “mistaken identity case”. The official police statement later expressing “regrets on the unfortunate incident” and saying an investigation was underway.

According to Kenyan media, Arshad Sharif was shot in the head and killed by police after he and his driver allegedly breached a roadblock.

Detailing the incident, the Kenyan media quoting the police said that the manned roadblock had received information to intercept a car similar to the one, Arshad Sharif and his driver were in, following a carjacking incident in Nairobi in which a child was allegedly taken hostage.