ISLAMABAD: Fact-finding team probing murder of Arshad Sharif has concluded that his killing was case of planned and targeted assassination by transnational characters and not case of mistaken identity, as Kenyan Police earlier claimed.

According to team's report, "transnational roles" of individuals from Kenya, Dubai and Pakistan cannot be ruled out in case. "Four GSU (General Service Unit) police officials and OC GSU Training camp had been used as instruments in this case under influence, either financial or some other compulsion," it stated.

Report stated that Waqar who sponsored and hosted journalist was connected to Kenya's National Intelligence Service (NIS) and other international agencies and law enforcement. It furthered that fact that Waqar handed over Sharif's personal cell phone and iPad to NIS officer, rather than to police, 'established' his link with NIS.

"His linkage with national and international agencies provides scope of possibilities of transnational characters in this case". Report also said that narrations presented by Khurram, who drove vehicle prior to Sharif's murder, regarding sequence of events and crime scene, were contrary to logic and facts and that there were no penetration marks of bullet on Sharif's car seat. Rather, journalist was hit from back and bullet exited from right side of his chest. Report maintained that Khurram's narrative did not match "His [Sharif's] sitting position, position of gunners as well as line of fire".

Report also declared that Kenyan Police's claims of portraying incident as case of "mistaken identity" was also full of contradictions and that statements given by GSU police officials contradict themselves. "Their version of events is not believable". It furthered that post-mortem report in Pakistan identified that four fingernails of slain journalist's left hand were missing, giving rise to speculation that Sharif had been tortured before his death.

However, it continued, that while Kenyan post-mortem did mention "fingernails" taken as DNA samples, it did not mention how many fingernails were taken. "Keeping in view apparent differences in two post-mortem reports, there is no concrete evidence to establish that Arshad Sharif was tortured before killing," report said. Moreover, fact-finding team stated that there were "compelling reasons for Sharif to leave Pakistan due to criminal cases registered against him in different districts" of country and that he was asked to leave UAE by Emirati authorities. Report also highlighted five principles of international criminal law that invoke criminal jurisdiction of any country. These principles include territorial principle, nationality principles, passive personality principle, protection principle and universal principle.

With aforementioned facts in view, fact-finding team recommended that case be registered under relevant provisions of Pakistan Penal Code and Anti-Terrorism Act at Counter Terrorism Wing (CTW) of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on basis of Section 4 of PPC. This section discusses principle of nationality in international criminal jurisdiction.

Published in The Daily National Courier, December, 08 2022

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