Arshad Sharif

Arshad Sharif was born in Karachi, Pakistan, to a Commander of the Pakistan Navy, Muhammad Sharif TI(M) TK.{{Cite web|url= https://www.dawn.com/news/627433/dawnnews-bureau-chief-grieved|title=DawnNews bureau chief grieved|date=9 May 2011|website=Dawn News}} He began his journalistic career as a freelancer in 1993, while he was still a student. He received his Master of Science in Public Administration from Quaid-i-Azam University in Islamabad.{{Cite web |title=Popular Pakistan journalist Arshad Sharif shot dead in Kenya by police backed by Pakistan Army |url=https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/pakistan/popular-pakistan-journalist-arshad-sharif-shot-dead-in-kenya-1.91475270 |access-date=2022-10-24 |website=gulfnews.com |date=24 October 2022 |language=en}}

Sharif's first media job was with a weekly publication, Pulse, for which he was a columnist, reporter, and managing editor in 1999.{{cite news|url=http://www.weeklypulse.org/default.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110122052036/http://weeklypulse.org/default.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=22 January 2011 |title=Weekly Pulse |publisher=Weekly Pulse magazine |access-date=25 March 2019}} He joined The News in 1999 and Daily Dawn in 2001.{{Cite web |last=Siraj |first=Sarah |date=2022-10-24 |title=Journalist Arshad Sharif murder: Who was he? |url=https://www.bolnews.com/pakistan/2022/10/journalist-arshad-sharif-murder-who-was-he/ |access-date=2022-10-24 |website=BOL News |language=en-US}}

Sharif covered conflicts in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas with a specialization in defence and foreign affairs. He reported for leading Pakistani news organizations from London, Paris, Strasbourg, and Kiel. He was the winner of the 2012 Agahi Award.{{cite web|url=http://www.agahiawards.com/2012/winners-at-the-agahi-awards/|title=Winners of Agahi Awards 2012 (for journalism)|access-date=25 March 2019|archive-date=20 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191120100411/http://www.agahiawards.com/2012/winners-at-the-agahi-awards/|url-status=dead}}

Sharif as anchor and Adeel Raja as producer won the 2016 Investigative Journalist of the Year Award{{cite web |title=AGAHI Awards Celebrates Journalism Integrity |url=https://pakistan.embassy.gov.au/files/islm/161213_PR_AGAHIAwardsCelebratesJournalismIntegrity.pdf |website=AGAHI Awards |access-date=18 August 2019 |date=10 December 2016}} for the programme Powerplay. In 2018, Sharif was awarded Agahi's Peoples’ Choice Awards: Favourite Current Affairs Anchor – Male.{{cite web|url=https://www.agahi.org.pk/agahi-awards-celebrates-dignity-for-all/|title=AGAHI Awards Celebrates Dignity for All|website=agahi.org.pk|access-date=24 October 2022|archive-date=24 October 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221024133246/https://www.agahi.org.pk/agahi-awards-celebrates-dignity-for-all/|url-status=dead}}

He started his programme Power Play on ARY News in 2014.[https://videos.arynews.tv/category/power-play/ Videos of TV Show PowerPlay on ARY News website]. Retrieved 25 March 2019

Sharif also headed AAJ News and Dunya TV as 'Director News'.[http://agahiawards.com/2018/nominee/arshad-sharif/ Profile of Arshad Sharif on agahiawards.com website]. Retrieved 25 March 2019 He worked as a Bureau Chief for Dawn News in 2011.

In August 2022, Sharif fled Pakistan to avoid arrest after a number of accusations, 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 moved to Dubai and later to Kenya.

{{main|Death of Arshad Sharif}}

Sharif was shot and killed in Kajiado, Kenya, by local police on 23 October 2022. The Kenyan police described the shooting as a case of "mistaken identity",{{cite news |title=Pakistani journalist shot dead by police at roadblock in Kajiado |url=https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2022-10-24-pakistani-journalist-shot-dead-by-police-at-roadblock-in-kajiado/ |work=The Star |language=en-KE}} and there was speculation on social media that he had been assassinated.{{Cite web |title=Senior journalist Arshad Sharif shot dead in Kenya, Confirmed Wife |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/2383245/senior-journalist-arshad-sharif-shot-dead-in-kenya-confirms-wife/ |access-date=24 October 2022 |website=The Express Tribune |date=24 October 2022 |language=en}} On 24 October, the Kenyan Independent Police Oversight Authority announced an investigation into Sharif's death.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-63372440|title=Arshad Sharif killing: Prominent Pakistani journalist shot dead in Kenya|date=24 October 2022|website=BBC News}} An investigation committee consisting of Athar Waheed, director of the Federal Investigation Agency's headquarters, and Umar Shahid Hamid, deputy director of the Intelligence Bureau was formed on 26 October 2022.{{Cite web |last=Hussain |first=Abid |title=Pakistan forms committee to investigate Arshad Sharif's murder |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/10/26/inquiry-committee-for-arshad-sharif-murder-formed |access-date=2022-11-08 |website=www.aljazeera.com |language=en}} Subsequently, on 8 November 2022, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif requested Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial to set up a judicial committee to investigate into the murder in a fair and reliable manner.{{Cite web |date=2022-11-08 |title=PM writes to CJP for judicial inquiry into Arshad Sharif's murder |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/2385330/pm-writes-to-cjp-for-judicial-inquiry-into-arshad-sharifs-murder |access-date=2022-11-08 |website=The Express Tribune |language=en}} Bandial announced on 6 December 2022 that he had taken a suo moto notice of the killing.{{cite press release|url=https://www.supremecourt.gov.pk/hcjp-takes-suo-moto-notice-of-the-killing-of-mr-arshad-sharif/ |title=HCJP TAKES SUO MOTO NOTICE OF THE KILLING OF MR. ARSHAD SHARIF|date=December 6, 2023|publisher=Pakistan Supreme Court}}

In July 2024, the Kajiado County High Court found police acted unlawfully and ordered the government to pay 10 million Kenyan shillings (US $78,000) in compensation.{{cite news |title=Arshad Sharif: Compensation for widow of Pakistani journalist killed by Kenya police |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c134x2ey7mgo |work=BBC |date=8 July 2024}}{{cite web |title=Kenya court rules police unlawfully killed Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif |url=https://cpj.org/2024/07/kenya-court-rules-police-unlawfully-killed-pakistani-journalist-arshad-sharif/ |website=Committee to Protect Journalists |date=8 July 2024}}

News of Sharif's killing was met with shock in Pakistan and abroad. The President of Pakistan Arif Alvi described Sharif's death as "a great loss to journalism and Pakistan". The Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif described the killing as "shocking news". Former Prime Minister Imran Khan wrote on Twitter that he was "shocked at the brutal murder of Arshad Sharif who paid the ultimate price for speaking the truth - his life".{{cite web |title=President, PM, Imran Khan grieved over death of journalist Arshad Sharif |url=https://dunyanews.tv/en/Pakistan/672622-President-PM-Imran-Khan-grieved-over-death-of-journalist-Arshad-Sharif |website=Dunya News |date=24 October 2022 |language=en}}

Afzal Butt, president of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), expressed his grief at the news and called for an inquiry into the killing of Sharif.{{cite news |title=Arshad Sharif martyrdom: PFUJ demands inquiry into incident |url=https://arynews.tv/arshad-sharif-martyrdom-pfuj-demands-inquiry-incident/ |work=ARY NEWS |date=24 October 2022}} Journalist Kamran Khan questioned the government on Twitter and asked the Prime Minister to take "the nation in confidence".{{cite news |title=Journalist Arshad Sharif Reported Dead In Kenya: Social Media Rife With Shock And Accusations |url=https://www.thefridaytimes.com/2022/10/24/tv-anchor-arshad-sharif-killed-in-kenya/ |work=The Friday Times - Naya Daur |date=23 October 2022}}

A significant number of people attended Arshad Sharif's funeral prayers.{{Cite web|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/2383597/arshad-sharif-laid-to-rest-as-hundreds-attend-funeral-prayers|title=Arshad Sharif laid to rest as hundreds attend funeral prayers|date=27 October 2022|work=Tribune Pakistan}} Close friends and colleagues arrived at Sharif's home to express their condolences, including Imran Khan{{Cite web|url=https://arynews.tv/imran-khan-reaches-arshad-sharifs-residence-for-condolence/|title=Imran Khan reaches Arshad Sharif's residence for condolence|first=Azhar|last=Farooq|date=24 October 2022|website=ARY NEWS}} and Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubtXJ-X9b_Y|title=Sheikh Rasheed Meets With Arshad Sharif's Mother ||date=24 October 2022 |publisher=Capital TV (Pakistan)|via=YouTube}}

The killing of Arshad Sharif was condemned by the Director-General of UNESCO Audrey Azoulay in a press-release published on 26 October 2022.{{Cite web |last=O'Hagan |first=Clare |date=26 October 2022 |title=Director-General deplores death of Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif in Kenya |url=https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/director-general-deplores-death-pakistani-journalist-arshad-sharif-kenya |access-date=14 June 2023 |website=UNESCO}} UNESCO’s mandate to “promote the free flow of ideas by word and image” includes the protection of journalists and media workers against any forms of attacks and reprisals related to their duties.{{Cite web |title=Communication and Information service details |url=https://www.unesco.org/en/communication-information |access-date=14 June 2023 |website=UNESCO}}{{Cite web |title=Safety of journalist |url=https://www.unesco.org/en/safety-journalists |access-date=14 June 2023 |website=UNESCO}} The facts and circumstances surrounding this killing are categorized and archived online on UNESCO’s Observatory of Killed Journalists. {{Cite web |title=Observatory of killed journalists |url=https://www.unesco.org/en/safety-journalists/observatory?hub=72609 |access-date=14 June 2023 |website=UNESCO}} The Observatory archives publicly accessible information on all the journalists killed in relation to their duties since 1997, where the Director-General has issued a condemnation.

Arshad Sharif's father, Commander Muhammad Sharif, died of a heart attack at the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology in May 2011. His younger brother, Major Ashraf Sharif, was killed when his car veered off the road on his way to attend the funeral of their father in May 2011.[https://tribune.com.pk/story/165872/commander-sharif-son-laid-to-rest/ Commander Sharif, son laid to rest] The Express Tribune (newspaper), Published 11 May 2011. Retrieved 25 March 2019 On hearing about the death of his father, Major Ashraf Sharif left Bannu Cantonment and refused a chauffeur or escort. A few kilometres away, his vehicle veered off the road and hit a tree, killing him. Commander Muhammad Sharif and Major Ashraf Sharif were buried with full military honours at the H-11 Graveyard. Arshad and Somiya Arshad were married in 2001.[https://www.dailynationpakistan.com/who-is-javeria-siddique-arshad-sharifs-wife/ Journalist Arshad Sharif’s wife writes to Pakistan president for UN-led probe into his murder] ArabNews. Published 19 November 2022.

• Pride of Performance Award in 2019 by the President of Pakistan[https://arynews.tv/en/ary-news-arshad-sharif-presidential-award/ ARY News anchorperson Arshad Sharif awarded Presidential Pride of Performance] ARY TV News, Published 23 March 2019. Retrieved 25 March 2019
• Agahi Award for Journalism in 2012

• List of Pakistani journalists
• List of Pakistani writers

{{Reflist|30em}}

• [http://archives.dawn.com/2007/09/11/top3.htm Archives.Dawn (Arshad Sharif's column from 2007)]

{{Pride of Performance for Arts}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sharif, Arshad}}

Category:1973 births

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