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PESHAWAR: Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has claimed that slain journalist Arshad Sharif was a victim of targeted killing.
“No matter what anyone says, I know that Arshad Sharif became a victim of target killing,” Khan claimed, while addressing a lawyer’s convention in Peshawar on Tuesday.
In what the Kenyan government claimed was a “mistaken identity” shooting on the outskirts of Nairobi, the Kenyan police shot Sharif on the night of Sunday, October 23, fatally injuring him.
“I had received information that Sharif would be killed so that truth could be silenced.” Khan said.
The former premier also claimed that Arshad Sharif was receiving threats from unknown numbers.
“He (Sharif) knew his life was in danger. He knew he was repeatedly getting warnings. He didn’t step back. I told him [to back down but] he wasn’t scared and then lastly, this targeted killing. No matter what people say, I know this was targeted killing.”
Imran paid tribute to Sharif, calling him “a brave patriot who never compromised his conscience”. He also spoke about his immense respect and admiration for the journalist.
Imran said Sharif stood for “justice, truth and Pakistan’s interests”, adding that he himself had been on the receiving end of criticism from the journalist on numerous occasions.
“He never held back on the mafia. With evidence, he exposed these two families (the Sharif and Zardari families) in every episode, but no one was able to intimidate or coerce him. When he began criticizing this administration, he subsequently began receiving threats from unidentified parties to “not say this or speak the truth.”
“I then learned that they were preparing to murder him. They broke into his home and frightened him in front of his family merely to prevent him from speaking the truth, alleged Imran, who also said he had then encouraged Sharif to leave the country.
“He refused [to leave]. Then, I told him that I have information, the same way I had information about a plot to kill me.”
Imran claimed that Sharif left the country but was called back when his visa for the United Arab Emirates was due to expire. “Not because he broke the law, but just to keep him from telling the truth. And they desired to treat him similarly to how they treated Jameel Farooqui, Shahbaz Gill, and Azam Swati, Imran concluded.
