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Arshad Sharif killing: PM talks to Kenyan president, urges unbiased probe

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  • PM telephones Kenyan President William Ruto.
  • President Ruto promises all-out help.
  • Swift repatriation of body assured.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday moved the Kenyan head of the state to make sure the investigation into the slaying of journalist Arshad Sharif in a “mistaken identity” police firing was unbiased, just, and quick.

Sharif was gunned down in Kenya on Sunday night when police, tracking down a jacked car, opened indiscriminate fire on the journalist’s automobile mistaking it for the stolen vehicle, also suspected to have a minor hostage in it, when it sped through a manned roadblock without stopping, according to a Kenyan police report.

“Just had a telephonic call with Kenyan President William Ruto about the tragic death of Arshad Sharif in Kenya. I requested him to ensure fair & transparent investigation into shocking incident. He promised all-out help including fast-tracking the process of return of the body to Pakistan,” the Prime Minister tweeted.

Earlier, Minister for Information, Marriyum Aurangzeb, visited the slain journalist’s family to condole with them for their loss.

Aurangzeb gave Sharif’s family her word the government would not stop at anything until justice was served.

“Sharif was travelling an hour away from the Kenyan capital Nairobi. According to the initial reports, Kenyan police waved had Sharif’s car to stop,” the information minister said speaking to journalists outside Sharif’s home in the federal capital.

Warning against any unwarranted speculations, the minister stressed waiting for the Kenyan government’s official investigative stance on the tragic incident.

“Sharif’s body has been positively identified. Prime Minister has issued official directives for the interior to dig into the matter, tasking the relevant authorities to repatriate the remains of the journalist as soon as possible,” the minister said adding,” Nothing can be said with certainty before Kenya’s official response to the matter”.

She also added that this matter was beyond politics. “Using this issue to make any political gains is tantamount to sin we don’t want to commit,” she said.

The information minister said further details would be shared as received in an hour. 

Kenyan police issues statement 

The Chairperson of the Independent Policing Oversight Authority, Kenya Anne Makori held a press conference on Monday and confirmed that on the evening of October 23, a Pakistani journalist, named Arshad Muhammad Sharif, 50, was shot by the Kenyan police within the limits of Kajiado County.

“There’s an alleged police killing of a Pakistani national at Tinga market, Kajiado county, last evening. Our rapid response team has already been dispatched,” she said, adding that a probe related to the incident is underway and that the Independent Policing Oversight Authority will carry out a transparent investigation into the killing of Sharif. 

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According to Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, accusations made against Pakistan by Bushra Bibi, the spouse of the PTI founder, are vile and disgusting because Pakistan has historical relations to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

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The defense minister stated at a press conference in Islamabad that the Kingdom should not be involved in politics for selfish reasons because of our historical, religious, and economic ties with Saudi Arabia.

2.8 million Pakistanis work in Saudi Arabia and send millions of dollars in remittances, he added, adding that making unfounded accusations against the country will hurt Pakistan’s economy.

According to him, Saudi Arabia has always stood by Pakistan throughout its most trying moments, and Pakistanis have a deep affection and connection to the Kingdom.

There is a breach among PTI ranks and files, and Khawaja Asif stated that we have never witnessed such a low point in politics.

Given the gravity of the accusation, the Minister said, former Army Chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa should respond right away.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government should fight terrorism rather than target the city, he said, adding that the PTI’s demand for a demonstration on November 24 is the third strike on the federal capital.

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The Interior Ministry prohibits KP from using government machinery for PTI protests.

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Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is not allowed to use the resources of the Provincial Government for a party protest, according to the Interior Ministry.

On November 24, the PTI has scheduled a protest, and Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur has declared his intention to participate.

The Federal Government arrested a number of Provincial Government officials who were ordered to participate in the violent protest in Islamabad by the PTI, and confiscated vehicles used by the KP Government against the state during the previous protest in October.

However, the Jinnah Supermarket Traders Union has petitioned the Islamabad High Court to halt the PTI demonstration in the capital and deem it unlawful.

In the petition, the head of the Traders Union has asked the court to rule that the PTI protest violates fundamental human rights by preventing companies from operating and removing the public’s ability to visit stores for necessities.

The petition asked the high court to protect the capital’s workers and PTI founder from unlawful protests.

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Planning Minister: The Nation Is Back on Track for Development

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Ahsan Iqbal, the Federal Minister for Planning and Development, asserts that the country’s youth are its future and that Pakistan has made great strides over the past 77 years, becoming the sixth nuclear state in the world today.

Speaking at a ceremony in Islamabad, Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal stated that inconsistent policies have an impact on the development process.

According to Ahsan Iqbal, the CPEC got Pakistan on its path to growth, and the government is currently moving on with phase two of the project.

The country was in danger of defaulting, but the government has put it back on course, he said.

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