Arshad Sharif death: PM Shehbaz bashes Imran Khan for ‘petty politics’

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday hit out at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan for using the death of journalist Arshad Sharif for petty politics and “going to the extent of casting aspersions on state institutions”.

In a tweet, he asked the former prime minister to be patient and wait for findings of the Judicial Commission that is looking into the incident, instead of resorting to baseless allegations.

On Tuesday, Imran claimed that the death of journalist Arshad Sharif was a result of “target killing.”

Imran Khan says PTI’s long march to begin from Lahore on October 28

He added that he had advised the journalist to leave the country in view of the risk to his life.

Arshad Sharif was shot dead by police in Kenya on Sunday night, prompting calls for a full probe into what one media rights group branded an “utterly disturbing murder”.

The PM on Tuesday announced to form a judicial commission for holding a thorough probe into the death to determine the facts of the tragic incident.

In a phone call with Kenyan President William Ruto, Prime Minister Shehbaz had also called for a transparent investigation.

Kenyan national police spokesman Bruno Shioso said the journalist was fatally wounded by an officer after his car drove through a police barrier in the Magadi area, 40 kilometres (25 miles) from the capital Nairobi.

Meanwhile, as Imran announced he will kick-start a long march from Lahore on Friday that will make its way to Islamabad, former PM Nawaz Sharif tweeted that Imran’s “long march is not for a revolution, rather, it is aimed at installing an army chief of his own choice”.

Imran Khan claims Arshad Sharif was a victim of ‘target killing’

“The people have seen his revolution in his four-year rule,” he wrote in a tweet. “He proved to be the biggest thief in history with irrefutable evidence.”

Imran’s long march call comes days after he was disqualified by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in the Toshakhana reference case.

Imran Khan can still contest elections: IHC

As per the verdict, criminal proceedings will be initiated against Imran for misdeclaration. The ECP also ruled that office is directed to initiate legal proceedings and to take follow-up action under Section 190(2) of the Elections Act, 2017.

Last week, Imran had said that if the election dates were not announced by the government in a “few more days,” he will call the party’s long march towards Islamabad, warning that he would not delay it beyond October.

Citing foreign funding case and Toshakhana case, he stated that Imran had looted Rs50 billion from the nation.