Not less than 25,000 individuals pay their respects to the veteran journalist who was shot lifeless in Kenya as allegations in opposition to the navy rise.
Islamabad, Pakistan – Hundreds of individuals chanted “revolution” as journalist Arshad Sharif was buried after being shot and killed beneath mysterious circumstances in Kenya.
His funeral prayers had been carried out at Islamabad’s Faisal Mosque earlier on Thursday. Hundreds of individuals attended, lots of whom had been carrying placards and flags of Pakistan and former Prime Minister Imran Kahn’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) political occasion.
The funeral was held a day after Sharif’s stays had been flown house from Kenya, the place he was shot on Sunday whereas travelling with a companion in a automobile on the Nairobi-Magadi freeway.
Sharif was among the many prime information anchors in Pakistan. He had an unlimited following from a cross-section of society. Many gathered on the mosque to pay their closing respects.
The Kenyan police have acknowledged the 49-year-old journalist was shot lifeless in what they referred to as a case of “mistaken identification” and have expressed remorse over the “unlucky incident”.
A heavy police contingent was deployed on the mosque to supervise the gang, which one Islamabad police official estimated ranged from 25,000 to 30,000 individuals.
Lawyer Aliya Fatima took day without work work so she might pay her respects to Sharif together with her mom and siblings.
“I’m a daily viewer of his present, and he was among the many most realized journalists we had,” she advised Al Jazeera. “Now that he’s silenced, it’s our responsibility to face up and converse for him.”
Muhammed Raziq, a retired authorities official, additionally attended the funeral.
“Even when I didn’t agree along with his politics or noticed his present usually, the vital factor is he was a human,” he advised Al Jazeera. “He was a Muslim. He was a father. He mustn’t have been killed.”
Many mourners gathered within the huge courtyard of the Faisal Mosque, one among Pakistan’s largest, and chanted slogans reminiscent of “Arshad, your blood will usher in revolution and “God is nice!”
Sharif was as soon as thought-about near Pakistan’s navy institution and cricketer-turned-politician Khan.
Khan’s PTI authorities was eliminated in April in a parliamentary vote of no confidence. He blamed a “overseas conspiracy” in addition to Pakistan’s navy for colluding along with his political rivals.
After that, Sharif grew to become a staunch critic of the navy, which has dominated the nation for greater than half of its 75 years as an unbiased nation. Critics have typically referred to as it the principle powerbroker within the South Asian nation of 220 million individuals.
Mourner Qaiser Mustafa, 44, mentioned he was satisfied that Pakistan’s navy institution and the present authorities had been accountable for Sharif’s loss of life.
“He was brave and trustworthy and any individual who was in a position to converse reality to energy, and so they determined to silence him,” Mustafa advised Al Jazeera.
He mentioned Sharif had opened his eyes.
“We have now a romance with the navy, and other people belief them,” he mentioned. “However after April, the whole lot modified. We realised that we’re being performed. All of us make errors and be taught from it, and maybe Arshad additionally realized and advanced his views.”
Pakistani authorities ordered the formation of a two-member committee of inquiry that can journey to Kenya to analyze Sharif’s killing and current a report back to the federal government.
The Pakistani navy additionally requested the federal government to instantly examine his loss of life.
Lieutenant Normal Babar Iftikhar mentioned on Thursday that folks shouldn’t be pointing fingers.
“It must be decided who precisely benefitted from his killing,” Iftikhar mentioned. “We have now to attend for the report from the inquiry fee. Till the report is launched, it’s not applicable to make allegations.”
Pakistan’s Inside Minister Rana Sanaullah advised reporters these liable for the killing have but to be recognized. “Earlier than bringing any verified information in entrance, I don’t need to accuse anyone of this crime,” he mentioned.