KARACHI: Global media watchdog Re­­­­porters Without Borders (RSF) on We­­d­nes­day called for an independent intern­a­tional probe into journalist Arshad Sha­rif’s murder after it said United Nat­ions special rapporteurs had “deplo­red” the Pakistani and Kenyan governments for their “failure to cooperate and cond­uct any serious investigation”, Dawn.com reported.

Mr Sharif, a broadcast journalist associated with ARY News, was shot dead in Nairobi in October last year. Initial reports on his killing by the Kenyan media had quoted local police as saying that he was shot dead by police in a case of “mistaken identity”.

However, later reports from the Kenyan media reconstructed the events, stating that an occupant in Mr Sharif’s car at the time of his killing was believed to have shot at paramilitary General Service Unit officers.

In October, RSF had itself accused authorities in both countries of being uncooperative and engaging in duplicity following a year-long investigation.

UN laments failure of Pakistan, Kenya to hold serious investigation

In a press release issued on Wednesday, the watchdog referenced the two UN special rapporteurs, recalling that they had written to both the countries’ governments and castigated their handling of the matter, adding that the tone of their letters was “unrelenting”.

The letter to the Pakistani authorities, written by Irene Khan, special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, and Morris Tidball-Binz, special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, had expressed “deep concern” about the “death threats and legal actions” against Mr Sharif.

It had also called on the government to “cease all criminalisation and harassment of journalists carrying out their legitimate work, particularly those whose work is of a political nature,” noting that the threats against Mr Sharif and his eventual death were “part of a wider trend of intimidations against journalists in Pakistan, particularly those who criticise state institutions.”

It had also noted that there was “a distinct lack of clarity as to why the investigations have not yet been successful and the perpetrators brought to justice”.

RSF said that rapporteurs had “dep­lored the many inconsistencies and biases in the Kenyan and Pakistani investigations, and the lack of cooperation bet­ween the two countries in their desultory efforts to identify those responsible”.

RSF pointed out that at the end of its investigation, it had condemned the fact that Pakistan authorities were favouring the hypothesis of Mr Sharif’s Kenyan host Waqar Ahmed being a central figure in the murder “without any supporting evidence”.

Arnaud Froger, head of RSF’s investigation desk, stated that the UN letters were “unequivocal” and there was “a clear lack of will on the part of both Kenya and Pakistan to establish the precise circumstances of this journalist’s murder and identify those responsible.” He emphasised that only an independent international investigation would be able to “establish the facts” about the case.

Govt’s response to UN letter

The Pakistan government’s response to the UN rapporteurs’ October letter dated Dec 2, said the government was “fully determined” to pursue the murder case and ensure that those responsible were held to account. It said the government was in close contact with Kenyan authorities, adding their cooperation was required to conclude the case.

The reply outlined the measures taken such as the Supreme Court’s suo motu notice, the formation of a special joint investigation team (SJIT) and five progress reports.

It added that the SJIT’s second and third phases pertaining to the investigation in Kenya and the United Arab Emirates remained a “work in progress” since they were dependent on the cooperation of the two countries.

Published in Dawn, December 7th, 2023