According to journalists on social media, TV anchor and prominent journalist Arshad Sharif has died in Kenya.
While his former employer ARY News says that he died in an accident, investigations by the local police are underway.
Alongside journalists and citizens expressing shock over his reported demise, there are also claims of murder and accusations of foul play involved in the death of the journalist. Sharif had been recently more critical and vocally opposed to ongoing political developments in Pakistan.
Meher Bokhari, a TV journalist tweeted in ten early hours of Monday morning, “Arshad Sharif, not just a colleague, a brother, is no more. From Islamabad to Moscow, from Dunya News to ARY, I’ve not known a finer gentleman. Shot dead. Too young. Too brutally.” She added, “Still can not wrap my head around it.”
Daily Jang first reported that he died in an accident but then changed it to ‘murder’ after Sharif’s wife tweeted.
Other media sources tweeted and reported the same. The details of his death are currently unknown. However, PTI leader Shireen Mazarin claimed in a tweet that he was killed by a sniper attack.
Tributes from Sharif’s colleagues and friends also poured when his death was confirmed.
Journalist Nasim Zehra was more emphatic:
Kamran Khan questioned the government on Twitter and asked the prime minister Shehbaz Sharif to take “the nation in confidence”:
Many among twitterati, including some PTI supporters, are accusing the state agencies of involvement. However, there are no details forthcoming from Kenya at the time of filing this story.
Others chose to condole with messages of forgiveness:
This is a developing story.
