 Print
No Hope for justice after Pakistan Journalist Arshad Sharif's Murder: Lies and corruption triumph over truth and honesty
10-25-2022
A world renowned very bold, and courageous, investigative and wartime journalist, who was a sharp, and very vocal critic of corrupt Pakistani politicians – exposing their corruptions and treachery with factual evidence, who left Pakistan few months ago due to threats to his life, Arshad Sharif, was shot dead in Kenya, near its capital, Nairobi, on October 23rd.
Pakistanis from all walks of life, whether in Pakistan or abroad are in mourning. He was a beacon of light in a country where journalism is equated with prostitution. Where majority of the top journalists are seemingly on a payroll of these corrupt political elites. A well-established political mafia, who shower these sold-out journalists with expensive gifts, landownerships, government’s gas station permits, flats, cars, and accompany them on taxpayer paid foreign trips as government’s entourage, including trips to Saudi Arabia for Hajj and Umrah, in an exchange for advancing their false rhetoric and remaining silent over their corruption.
Arshad Sharif rejected the benefits and materialistic advantages that come along as being a top-notch journalist in Pakistan in favour of being honest, and truthful, to his audience and to the people of Pakistan and for that he paid the ultimate price – his life!
It is a sad day not only for the people of Pakistan, but for all those who favour truth and honesty over lies and corruption.
It would be improper to speculate who might have been behind Mr. Sharif’s gruesome murder in Kenya, vis-à-vis, assassination and the truth most probably may never come out. As it never does in most high-profile murders any where in the world.
In Pakistan, its even more potent, awaiting findings in two Pakistani Prime Ministers, First PM. Mr. Liaquat Ali Khan, and later Benazir Bhutto, assassinations in almost same area in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. It took the nation four decades to acknowledge and exonerate posthumously another popular PM, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, who was hanged for supposedly ordering a murder. No one has been able to tell people of Pakistan what happened to when a plane crash carrying entire military leaderships – General Zia ul Haq, all Pakistani Generals, and US ambassador to Pakistan at time.
Just like all other “inquiries” and judicial “Commissions” in past. The truth in this matter will eventually be buried, under the rubble of lies. Especially, disguised as lack of co-operation from foreign authorities where the murder occurred, Kenya.
Needless to say, “If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it is probably a duck.”
However, without evidence or proof, none could dare to point fingers at the masterminds, who stand to benefit the most by silencing Mr. Sharif, and his assassination have ultimately quenched their egotistic thirsts against Mr. Sharif for exposing them and their ill-doings to the public and for questioning their actions motives, and loyalties to Pakistan.
Mr. Arshad Sharif was a patriotic son of the soil. His father served as Pakistan’s Naval Commander. In 2011, he buried his father and his brother, together as martyrs. He was one of the few journalists who reported from the front lines accompanying Pakistan’s Army when it was engaged in war (Operation Zarb-e-Azub, and Operation Rud-al-Fasaad) against the Tehrik Taliban Pakistan (TTP) who was actively engaged in domestic terrorism inside Pakistan targeting civilians, military and other security and law-enforcement apparatus.
After the rise of Pakistan Tehrik Insaaf, a political party, lead by former Prime Minister, Mr. Imran Khan in 2013 with an aim to eliminate corruption within Pakistan and establish a society based on justice and equality. Mr. Arshad Sharif became the leading news anchor or a journalist in Pakistan who uncovered evidence of massive corruption and money laundering, especially by the Sharif Clan, (Former PM, Nawaz Sharif, his brother current PM, Shahbaz Sharif) the ruling elites in Pakistan who were highlighted in an international expose “Panama Papers” amongst the world’s most corrupt elites, who stole the wealth of their nation and have amassed assets outside their countries. along with other ruling elites.
The turning point in his life came in March of this year when all political corrupt parties in Pakistan joined hands to form a coalition government under the banner of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) which succeeded in a vote of non-confidence against PM Imran Khan’s government purportedly on behest of and support from Washington and took charge of the nation. Thus dubbed as “Regime Change Operation.”
The entire nation was outraged that a popular elected leader, Imran Khan was ousted unjustly and unreasonably from the PM Office.
Mr. Arshad Sharif amongst other became the leading voice which provided public with a forum to express their outrage. In July 2022, he did a show in which he raised pertinent questions, popularly known as “Who Kon Thaa?” (Who was he?) raising question about invisible hands behind this supposed American led “Regime Change Operation” in Pakistan.
Shortly afterwards the news agency he worked for, ARY, terminated his contract and he was unemployed.
The 49-year-old award-winning journalist was recently featured in the trailer for a Netflix documentary titled “Behind Closed Doors” exposing the corruption the current Prime Minister Sharif Family .
Mr. Arshad Sharif apparently wrote a letter to the President of Pakistan, Mr. Arif Alvi, informing him that his life is in danger along with the list of journalists who are against this “Regime Change Operation.” Shortly after he penned this letter. He left the country and escaped to Dubai, UAE, where (Based on news reports) apparently some high-profile individual in Pakistan demanded UAE government that he be deported back to Pakistan. However, the UAE government did not comply with the requests and gave Mr. Sharif 48 hours to leave the country. Unfortunately, he did not have a visa to enter any other third-party safe country. His options were limited and escaped to Kenya. A country where Pakistani passport holders can enter without a visa. He lied low and had had recently started a Vlog on Youtube. His location was unknown, even to his family, and according to the news reports it was only about three days ago he had informed his family members that he was in “Africa.” However, he had not disclosed the country.
Mr. Arshad Sharif was ambushed outside Nairobi where he was living on a private resort owned by a friend, as he tried to travel towards the city.
His death and those behind his assassination remain mystery.
May Allah make his journey easy, and grant patience to his family.
Footnotes:
|