What post-mortem of Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif reveals
The results of a post-mortem on the body of the Pakistani journalist who was killed on Sunday night along the Nairobi-Magadi road show that he was shot between the shoulder and the head. Mr Arshad Sharif was shot in what police termed as a case of mistaken identity.
Speaking at the Chiromo Mortuary, Saqlain Syedah, the Pakistan High Commissioner to Kenya, denied claims that Sharif was in the country because he was facing political persecution at home.
“Mr Arshad Sharif was on a holiday on a visitor’s visa. If he was on the run he would have not gotten the visa. There are procedures in attaining a visa, but as a journalist, he was still doing his blogs and everything, but not on the run,” said Ms Syedah.
A Chiromo Mortuary attendant said the body arrived at the premises at around 2am on Monday morning.
“We have already done the post-mortem, which shows that he was shot between his shoulder and his head. It was a mishap that happened by the Kenyan police between Kajiado and Nairobi, which they have ruled a case of mistaken identity and that they were looking for a stolen car, They said they did not see the registration number clearly,” said Ms Syedah.
The envoy asked the Kenyan government to conduct a comprehensive investigation to avoid conflict between the two countries.
“My government (Pakistan) has requested the Government of Kenya to do an intensive investigation to find out the reason behind it because this is very unfortunate to the bilateral relations. We wouldn’t want it to affect the relationship between the two governments because we have a good relationship with Kenya. Both governments understand this, and that’s why we are holding an intensive investigation,” she said.
Sources said the body will be sent back to Pakistan as soon as the medical procedures and legal procedures are finished.
“He will be repatriated to Pakistan as soon as possible,” Ms Syedah said.
Mr Sharif was shot and killed by police after he and his driver allegedly breached a roadblock that had been set up on the route.
They were driving from Magadi town to Nairobi when they were flagged down at a roadblock being manned by a group of police officers, police said.
The incident was reported at the Magadi police station. It said the incident happened along the Kuenia Farm/Kamakura marram road and involved General Service Unit officers. It said he and his brother, Khurram Ahmed, were driving back to Nairobi
However, Ms Syedah said the driver was not a brother of Sharif, but a relative of the family that had hosted the journalist. The driver was said to be in stable condition.
