Former prime minister Imran Khan has described the death of Arshad Sharif as a “target killing” incident, adding that he advised the late journalist to go abroad in view of the risk to his life.

“Arshad Sharif was told to this and this not,” he said while addressing the lawyer’s convention in Peshawar. “At first, he did not listen. Then again I told him that I have information. Like, I had information about myself that those four had an agenda to kill me.”

He claimed that the jouranlist was receiving threats.

The journalist, who fled Pakistan in August, was killed on Sunday night in the Kenyan capital Nairobi. He was shot dead along the Nairobi-Magadi highway on Sunday night in a case of mistaken identity, the Kenyan police said, according to the newspaper.

“Arshad Sharif was shot in the head and killed by police after he and his driver allegedly breached a roadblock that had been set up to check on motor vehicles using 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 PTI chief claimed that journalists were tortured after arrest and forced to flee the country.

“I received the information that he [Arshad Sharif] will be murdered,” Imran said.

The claims came as the federal government announced its decision to form a judicial commission to probe the incident. Moreover, the army has also written a letter to the government to form an inquiry commission on the killing.

“He knew that his life was in danger. He knew he was several times receiving warnings. I told him. Despite that not a single time he stepped back,” Imran said, “and in the end this targeted killing. No matter what people say I know this is target killing.”

The former premier said that he has never seen such a “brave, honest, and patriotic” journalist than Arshad Sharif.