IC issues non-bailable arrest warrants for Arshad Sharif’s wife

A local court in the federal capital issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Somiya Arshad, the widow of senior journalist Arshad Sharif, on Saturday.

IC issues arrest warrants for Arshad Sharif’s wife: “On October 23, assailants assassinated the prominent journalist and former ARY News anchor in Nairobi, Kenya, where he was living in exile.”

Judicial Magistrate Abbas Shah issued the warrants against Somiya Arshad and 18 other people as a result of their failure to appear in court as witnesses in Arshad Sharif murder case.

Among the witnesses in the FIR filed on behalf of the state regarding murder of senior journalist Arshad Sharif are his wife, son, producer Ali Usman, and 16 other people.

The family of the deceased journalist asserts that the FIR was lodged on behalf of the state and not upon their request. They further state that they had already rejected the FIR.

Aleeza Arshad, the daughter of murdered journalist Arshad Sharif, criticised justice system for targeting the oppressed in response to non-bailable arrest warrant.

“Iqrarul Hassan, a senior journalist, openly condemned the carelessness and indifference of judicial magistrate who issued the arrest warrant for Somiya Arshad, wife of Arshad Sharif. “He stated that entire country should openly condemn it without any fear of facing contempt of court action.”

However, This slanderous behaviour towards the heirs and companions of Arshad Sharif, according to PFUJ President Afzal Butt, is intolerable and condemnable. We support Sharif’s family and will vehemently oppose any reprisals.

The delay in investigation’s conclusions regarding the slaying of veteran journalist Arshad Sharif has previously been source of concern for Kenyan investigative journalist Brian Obuya.

Additionally, According to Brian Obuya, the investigation into death of Arshad Sharif took a very long time to complete.

He criticized lack of public release of both report following the investigation into journalist’s slaying case and names of the charged Kenyan police officers.