Arshad Sharif has joined the list of over 138 Pakistani journalists who have been killed in the last three decades. He was shot dead in Nairobi, Kenya Sunday and the police have opened an investigation but contradictory information has emerged since the news broke.

Initially, Pakistan media cited Kenyan media that Sharif was killed in an accident. Then, however, it was reported that Kenyan police said he was shot dead in a case of mistaken identity. Kenyan publications said that a special unit of the Kenyan police was involved.

In Pakistan, journalists and politicians have demanded an investigation. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR) condoled the death, with the premier speaking to the Kenyan president regarding a transparent inquiry.

Government spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb was among a bevy of politicians who made a beeline to the slain journalist’s residence to visit the grieving family. She has asked the media to refrain from speculation and wait for details provided by Kenyan authorities.

Arshad Sharif was considered close to the PTI. Imran Khan visited his residence to condole with his family in Islamabad and said that Arshad Sharif had paid the ultimate price for speaking truth. “He had to leave the country & be in hiding abroad but he continued to speak the truth on social media, exposing the powerful,” he tweeted.

Old clips of PTI leader Shireen Mazari and journalist Imran Riaz Khan resurfaced, in which there are claims that Arshad Sharif would be targeted by the PML-N-led government.

Others cited Sharif’s tweet from two days ago which is critical of the powers that be.

‘Most dangerous country’

Pakistan remains one of the most dangerous places for journalists in the world, with only the case of Abdul Razzak Johra and Ayub Khan Khattak listed as resolved in the database maintained by the UNESCO observatory of killed journalists in Pakistan.

It lists 90 cases of murdered journalists, which does not include the case of Saleem Shehzad. It is another high profile murder that remains unsolved to this day.

Shehzad’s died a few days after the release of his book, Inside the Taliban and Al-Qaeda, wrote New York-based journalists right group Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJin its report.

Similar concerns were raised after the death of another journalist who died in mysterious circumstances outside Pakistan. Sajid Hussain’s body was found in 2020 in a river near Stockholm two months after he went missing. His death was ruled accident or suicide by Swedish police. Sajid was granted asylum by Sweden in 2019, several years after he fled Pakistan after facing threats over his coverage of Balochistan.

Change in tune

Sharif’s recent reportage on the country’s political and security apparatus, in the wake of Imran Khan’s ouster in a vote of no-confidence in April this year, had already earned him the status of persona non grata.

This was in stark contrast from his earlier situation, where he was the envy of journalists in Islamabad due to his perceived access to the corridors of power. He was considered the ultimate insider privy to developments that took place behind closed doors. As far back in 2009, he was among journalists embeded with the army for the coverage of Operation Rah-e-Rast. Back then, he was with Dawn News, while it was broadcasting in English.

Another reason the glib and erudite Sharif was believed to be close to the country’s military was that he hailed from a family of soldiers. His father and brother, who both died in 2011, were mid ranking officers.

His switch to ARY News, in 2014 strengthened his position among the country’s top journalists. There, he hosted a show Power Play, while also being one of three analysts on another show Reporters. Both shows had prime time slots and over the next eight years Sharif would become one of the most amplified voices on Pakistani media.

It all changed with Imran Khan’s ouster in April this year. Sharif’s tone and stance changed drastically, including the sharpness of his criticism of incumbent PM Shehbaz Sharif and his family. His comments also targeted state institutions, including intelligence agencies, over their alleged involvement in politics. He did this on his TV shows, in his vlog and comments on social media, including his two million followers on Twitter.

He was let go by his employers, ARY News, in September ostensibly over a social media post that violated the organisation’s code of conduct. Before that, Sharif was named in multiple police complaints over remarks against the country’s state institutions aired on his show. One of those comments were from Imran Khan’s aide Shahbaz Gill, who was later arrested in the case and has since claim being stripped and beaten while in custody.

Sharif fled Pakistan in August, relocating to the UAE. There are conflicting reports about his whereabouts after that, although Sharif did tweet a photo from what is believed to be the UK. It was not clear when he went to Kenya or what was he doing there, with some claiming that he had been there for at least a week.

There was even the suggestion that Arshad Sharif had gone to Kenya as the country doesn’t have an extradition treaty with Pakistan. The website of the Anti-Narcotics Force lists countries with which Pakistan has a treaty regarding extradition, with Kenya listed under those with whom MoU is under process.

One possible reason cited for his visit to the African country is the documentary, Behind Closed Doors.

The trailer, which was widely shared on social media by PTI supporters, claims explosive revelations regarding the corruption of the Sharif family, that includes current PM Shehbaz, his elder brother and three-time former premier Nawaz Sharif, as well as Maryam Nawaz, touted by many as a future prime minister. It features Arshad Sharif as well as Nairobi-based journalist John Allen Namu.

Aaj News’ contacted the film’s producers as well as multiple streaming services to find out more but did not receive any response.