Pakistan: Politicians, media bodies demand probe into journalist Arshad Sharif’s death

Expressing condolences, the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA), Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors (AMEND), Punjab Union of Journalists, Karachi Union of Journalists and other media bodies termed the killing a loss for the journalist fraternity of the country, reports Dawn News.

The National Press Club has announced three days of mourning.

AMEND demanded the government to conduct an inquiry into the incident and share its findings with the bereaved family.

On the other hand, ‘Editor for Safety’, a joint forum of newspapers and television editors, expressed its shock at the killing of the senior journalist and called for an independent investigation to unearth the truth.

A large number of mediapersons and politicians, including Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Asad Umar, Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Senator Azam Swati of the PTI, also arrived at the residence of Arshad Sharif to express their condolence with his family.

Speaking to media, Shah Mehmood Qureshi said high standards of professionalism displayed by Arshad Sharif were known to everybody, adding that he belonged to a family of brave men who had served the nation.

Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb also visited Arshad Sharif’s house and expressed her condolence with his family. She said the government was taking all steps to bring Arshad Sharif’s body to Pakistan.

Meanwhile, former interior minister and Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed also visited Mr Sharif’s residence to condole with the family.

Talking to media, Mr Ahmed said: “Arshad Sharif was a brave and respectable journalist and had sacrificed his life for the country.”

He said there were talks that he would be targeted and many people were on the hit list in this country. However, the AML leader stopped short of naming any person or entity behind the so-called hit list.

Parliamentarians also expressed their grief during the National Assembly session.

On the other hand, Majlis Wahdat Muslimeen Pakistan General Secretary Syed Nasir Abbas Shirazi said Arshad Sharif was a fearless and conscientious person.

“We express our heartfelt sympathy and condolences with the family of the deceased and the journalist community. The entire nation stands with the bereaved family in this hour of sorrow,” Shirazi said.

Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi strongly condemned the incident and extended heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved family. He said Arshad Sharif’s programmes used to be different and unique and added that the government equally shared grief with his family.

Meanwhile,  the Pakistani government on Wednesday excluded the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) official from a team formed to investigate the killing.