Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on Tuesday sought facilitation from Kenyan President Dr William Ruto over the finalisation of the investigation into the murder of Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif. Journalist and news anchor Sharif was shot dead last year on October 23 during his stay in Kenya. “The prime minister requested the Kenyan President for facilitation and finalization of the report of Special Joint Investigation Team in the murder case of late Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif,” the PM Office said in a statement following the meeting of the two leaders. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation being held in Beijing, China.
Justice remains elusive even almost a year after the killing of the prominent journalist. Kenyan authorities claimed Sharif was shot dead by Kenyan police in an incident that shocked Pakistan’s media community and raised several questions.
“This was a targeted killing,” his wife of 11 years, Javeria Siddique, told CPJ.
Kenyan national police said Sharif was shot by a police officer after the driver of Sharif’s car did not stop at a roadblock set up outside the capital of Nairobi during authorities’ search for a stolen motor vehicle. Moreover, PM Kakar and the Kenyan president discussed bilateral cooperation in diverse fields and reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing bilateral relations in areas of trade, investment, education, and people-to-people contacts.
Both leaders emphasised the importance of economic cooperation and agreed to enhance engagement to realize the true potential of bilateral trade.
PM Kakar said as a fellow member of the Belt and Road Initiative, Pakistan would like to enhance collaboration with other BRI member countries including Kenya to identify and develop new projects and initiatives.
“This commitment underscores Pakistan’s dedication to furthering development and shared prosperity through increased cooperation and partnerships,” he said.
