Arshad Sharif's murder: Who are Waqar Ahmed and Khurram?

KARACHI: Two key figures named by the Kenyan police have caught public attention during the course of ongoing developments after murder of prominent Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif.

The name of first figure other than Arshad Sharif was revealed by Kenyan Police as Khurram. The police statement released hours after the murder said “At the time of the incident, deceased was in company of his brother namely Khurram Ahmed. Incident follows a circulation from Pangani Police of a stolen motor vehicle. The officers trailing the motor vehicle towards Magadi alerted police in Magadi who erected a road barrier.”

Also read: Kenya: Local Police release statement about Arshad Sharif’s killing

Local media Citizen Digital too named Khurram in its story about Arshad Sharif’s murder. It said following the gunshots, Khurran then called his friend Naqar (Waqar) Ahmed, a Pakistani national who resides in the area who advised them to pass by his place.

Soon after the statement from Kenyan Police and local media reports made rounds on the internet, social media users rushed to use Open Source Intelligence skills to dig out more facts about places and personalities named in the reports.

A Kenyan journalist Kathy Peterson wrote that Khuram Ahmed ‘miraculously’ survived the bullets fired by local police.

https://twitter.com/555Says/status/1584780010329546754

Raising eyebrows over such media reports, some user asked if Arshad Sharif was lured into some trap.

The driver of the Arshad Sharif vehicle was Pakistani.Khuram Ahmad,who apparently"miraculously"survived the bullets.Once the car was stopped,he introduced himself to the police as a property developer,as per the police report.He might be the guy who lured Arshad into a trap?

— moeed ahmed (@moeedahmed) October 25, 2022

A foreign journalist active on social media questioned the role of Khurram and Waqar Ahmed, a wealthy Pakistani residing nearby, and demanded investigation.

Waqar Ahmed and Khurram Ahmed need to be investigated as two key suspects involved in the killing of Arshad Sharif – Waqar especially seems to be the key guy with a Huts and Homes resort near to where the crime happened; he also arranged for Arshad’s body to be flown in haste

— علی مصطفی | Ali Mustafa (@Ali_Mustafa) October 25, 2022

He went on claiming that Arshad Sharif visited the AMMODUMP shooting range owned by wealthy Pakistani national Waqar Ahmed hours before he was killed, adding that the business as a YouTube page highlighting its status as a major recce site for security personnel looking to hone their shooting skills.

BREAKING: Arshad Sharif visited the AMMODUMP shooting range owned by Waqar Ahmed hours before he was killed – the business as a youtube page highlighting its status as a major recce site for security personnel looking to hone their shooting skills , https://t.co/PYmKAIThBO pic.twitter.com/EjchgnhDeD

— علی مصطفی | Ali Mustafa (@Ali_Mustafa) October 25, 2022

He said Waqar Ahmed’s AMMODUMP was also listed as a ‘military supplies business’ on this Kenyan business website.

Waqar Ahmed’s AMMODUMP is also listed as a ‘military supplies business’ on this Kenyan business website pic.twitter.com/ddxkWJNJA5

— علی مصطفی | Ali Mustafa (@Ali_Mustafa) October 25, 2022

Some users raised suspicions about Khurram, asking that on earth he remained safe when 9 shots were fired at the vehicle.

According to the Kenyan police, his brother Khuram was driving his car. So why didn't the police shoot Khurram? And now where is that person named Khurram? These questions should be asked of them@eliudkibii #ArshadSharif https://t.co/ThtAS43g0Z

— Fazal Karim Afridi (ISF) (@VoiceOf_PTI) October 25, 2022