Salman Iqbal has nothing to do with Arshad Sharif's murder: Faisal Vawda

ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Faisal Vawda on Monday said that President and CEO ARY Digital Network Salman Iqbal has nothing to do with former ARY News journalist Arshad Sharif’s cold-blooded murder and the conspiracy behind the gruesome act.

Speaking to media after appearing before the fact-finding committee in Arshad Sharif case, Faisal Vawda said that he was asked about Salman Iqbal’s alleged involvement, and he clearly said that he knows Salman Iqbal and can vouch for the fact that Salman Iqbal has nothing to do with the whole conspiracy and murder of investigative journalist Arshad Sharif.

Faisal Vawda went on to add that he knows Salman Iqbal as a person and channel owner and can say that he is simply not linked with the murder case in any manner.

مجھ سے سلمان اقبال کے حوالے سے بھی سوال ہوا! میں نے کلیئر بتایا کہ میں سلمان اقبال کو اچھی طرح جانتا ہوں — سلمان اقبال کا میرے مطابق قتل یا سازش میں بالکل تعلق نہیں — سلمان اقبال کا قتل میں یا سازش میں کوئی تانہ بانہ نہیں، فیصل واوڈا کی میڈیا سے گفتگو#ARYNews #ARYNews pic.twitter.com/wOwFGltW7C

— ARY NEWS (@ARYNEWSOFFICIAL) November 21, 2022

Faisal Vawda, whose explosive news conference, led to his inclusion in the inquiry, said that he is making every effort to help the authorities nab the actual culprits behind the murder of his friend and a seasoned investigative journalist and urged the media to refrain from making speculations in the case.

Faisal Vawda repeated his claim that Arshad Sharif was not only shot from a close range but the whole “conspiracy” to kill him was hatched in Pakistan.

“Those who are involved in this murder are powerful and are great planners so one shouldn’t provide them with any leads that can help them save their neck,” said Faisal Vawda.

‘Co-operation despite concerns’

It is pertinent to note here that President and CEO ARY Digital Network Salman Iqbal also announced on November 15 that he and his team are fully cooperating with the investigation team in Arshad Sharif case despite “concerns about the independence and transparency of the PML0N government investigation”.

The investigation team just got in touch with me yesterday about the killing of my brother Arshad Sharif. While I still have concerns about the independence and transparency of the PMLN government investigation, my team and I are providing them with our full cooperation.

— Salman Iqbal ARY (@Salman_ARY) November 15, 2022

Arshad Sharif’s assassination

The senior journalist and former ARY News anchor, was killed in Kenyan capital Nairobi on October 23 where he was living in self-exile.

Kenyan police first said that Arshad Sharif was killed in a case of “mistaken identity” but since the seasoned journalist’s post-mortem and his body’s transfer to his home country, several Kenyan news outlets have not only questioned the police’s conduct but have raised questions over the manner in which he was killed.

Just yesterday, a PML-N London spokesperson, Tasneem Haider Shah, alleged that the assassination plots against PTI chief Imran Khan and Arshad Sharif were prepared by PML-N in London.