Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Faisal Vawda on Wednesday claimed that the killing of senior journalist Arshad Sharif was not an accident and his murder was planned in Pakistan.
The 49-year-old journalist fled the country in August to avoid arrest after he was slapped with multiple cases, including sedition charges over an interview with PTI leader Shahbaz Gill during which the latter had made controversial comments.
Alleging threats to his life, Sharif had moved to Dubai in August and later relocated to Kenya.
According to the Kenyan police, the journalist was fatally wounded while travelling in a car along with his brother Khurram Ahmed in the Magadi area, 40 kilometres from the capital Nairobi on October 23. However, today, the Kenyan police claimed that the fatal shooting that ended the life of Sharif was “instigated” by his companion in the car they were in.
“I’ve made a video and named people… If I’m killed the personalities involved will also be killed in three to five hours,” Faisal said while holding a press conference in Islamabad.
He said that no evidence including Sharif’s mobile phone or laptop would be found as all of it would be erased. “We know the situation in Kenya… it is like Pakistan or even worse than here,” he added.
According to Faisal, Sharif was killed from close range and was shot twice — once in the head and once in the chest.
The PTI’s vocal leader said that Arshad Sharif did not want to leave the country but was frightened by the “conspirators” and the personalities who were conveying the message had to be believed.
He said that Sharif first reached Dubai but his visa expired so he had to leave the emirate.
“No ordinary man can send Arshad Sharif to Kenya. People who want to break this country are behind this murder. It is a planned murder. They are faking a drama now.”
Vawda went on to say that Sharif had agreed to return to Pakistan but the “conspirators killed him” so that all evidence can be removed. “When Sharif left this country, I had been in contact with him. My phone is available for forensics and you can get it checked.”
The PTI leader said that the TV anchorperson was in touch with the establishment and it had a positive connection with the slain journalist. “I will share the names [of the murderers with my chairman [Imran Khan]… he knows everything I can share it with ISI, MI as well… and I don’t have trust in others.”
The conspirators, he said, have other targets as well. “The actual target is [PTI] long march. I am from a wealthy family. I have links with national and international people,” he added. “It is a conspiracy against Pakistan and the players are in Pakistan and are connected to international players.”
Vawda also claimed that the upcoming long march towards Islamabad would be “bloody”. “Imran Khan’s peaceful long march is our right but I am clearly telling you I am seeing blood, deaths and funerals in this march.”
The PTI leader said that those who are part of this conspiracy are not out of his reach. “I am also with those Pakistanis who will be killed in a few days… Many people will be killed in the coming days. I am warning all Pakistanis again don’t get killed for no reason,” he said and added that many known and unknown personalities are going to be murdered in the coming days.
He further said that the establishment had no role in the killing of the senior journalist, adding that the name of the conspirators will be revealed in soon.__Tribune.com
