Murder in cold blood?

Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif was shot dead (October 23) due to what was described as a mistaken identity by the Kenyan police in Nairobi. Even the best of security analysts and Pakistan watchers are clueless amid a number of theories which are currently afloat in Pakistan. The cold-blooded murder happening in the remotest place in East Africa is bound to throw up a series of speculations and conjectures about the murder of Arshad Sharif. It has also led to a political slugfest, with the ruling political dispensation accusing former Prime Minister Imran Khan for not informing the authorities about the threat to the life of slain journalist about whom Imran Khan is generally believed to be in know of. It is also alleged that having known about the threat possibility to Arshad Sharif, Imran Khan, whose party rules the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, could have provided shelter to him there itself instead of allowing him to seek refuge in Kenya. In sum, the whole incident has now been blown into a major political showdown. It is expected that the same will assume further ugly proportions in the near future.

Meanwhile, in an extraordinary and unprecedented development, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum joined Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) DG Lt Gen Babar Iftikhar to speak about journalist Arshad Sharif's killing and former premier Imran Khan's confrontational narrative against the military, as well as a host of other related issues. This is the first time in Pakistan's history that the head of the country's spy agency has directly addressed the media. This is significant. Gen Iftikhar said the purpose of media talk was to shed light on the killing of journalist Arshad Sharif in Kenya and the circumstances surrounding it. Gen accused that the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa was also targeted and an attempt was made to divide the society. Such disclosure indicates the gravity of the development impacting the military and the political establishments in Pakistan. Crucially, the General claimed that several facts had come to light regarding the cypher revealing the "baseless and unfounded" narrative surrounding it. The ISPR further informed that no proof was found regarding the conspiracy against the PTI government. He claimed these being on record, the ISI wanted to bring this to the public.

In the meantime, the Pakistani agencies stepped up their investigations and, in order to determine the facts of the Arshad Sharif murder case, the investigation team that went to Kenya formally started its work and recorded the statements of two brothers who provided accommodation and other facilities to the slain journalist. A two-member team consisting of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director Athar Waheed and Intelligence Bureau (IB) Deputy Director Umar Shahid Hamid, is currently in Kenya to ascertain the facts regarding the murder of the slain journalist. Insiders indicate that the investigation team questioned the two brothers regarding the incident in which Waqar Ahmed told the team that Sharif was staying at a guest house for two months, after a friend had asked him to host the journalist.

It is further revealed that on the day of the murder, Sharif dined with him at the lodge. After the meal, Sharif went out in the car with his brother, and half an hour later, there was a report of firing on the car. He further disclosed that as soon as he crossed the stones (placed on the road), firing started, on which he fled the car, fearing for his life. Waqar also disclosed that the mobile phone and iPad used by Sharif were handed over to the Kenyan Police.

It may be recapitulated that the journalist Arshad Sharif had fled the country in August to evade arrest after he was charged with multiple cases, including sedition charges over an interview with PTI leader Shahbaz Gill during which the latter had made controversial comments. Alleging threats to his life, Sharif had moved to Dubai in August, and later relocated to Kenya. Kenyan national police spokesman Bruno Shioso had said the journalist was shot dead by an officer after his car jumped a police barrier.

The death of the journalist sent shock waves across rights organizations, the media fraternity and civil society and prompted calls for a thorough investigation. Several local and international journalists, including Kenyan media and relevant personalities have raised questions about the Kenyan police's claims about the killing.

This cold-blooded killing and perhaps the "murder most foul" has hugely embarrassed the Pakistani security establishment, and the political adversaries are now into exploiting the killing to their political advantage. Additional revelations by the Pakistan probe and the Kenyan investigations are likely to generate more controversy and it is likely that the ISI and other intelligence outfits may face the flak possibly as never before.

The writer is a retired IPS officer, a security analyst and a former National Security Advisor to the PM of Mauritius. Views expressed are personal