Pakistani journalist shot dead by police in Kenya

A senior Pakistani journalist was shot dead Sunday night in Kenya ,along the Nairobi-Magadi highway in what police termed as a mistaken identity. Arshad sharif and his driver allegedly breached a roadblock that had been set up to check on motor vehicles using the route.

Police at the roadblock said there was a call for police to intercept a car similar to the one they were driving following a carjacking incident in Pangani area, Nairobi where a child was taken hostage. A few minutes later, Sharif’s car emerged at the roadblock and they were stopped and asked to identify themselves. They allegedly failed to stop and drove past the roadblock.

This prompted a brief chase and shooting that left Sharif dead. Their car rolled and his driver was injured and taken to hospital.

The driver later told police he and his slain colleague were developers and were headed for a site in Magadi.

The news of the incident spread fast in Pakistan where the journalist was prominent. Following the news of Sharif’s death, condolences started pouring in from across the country.

A senior police officer confirmed the shooting and added that a comprehensive statement will be released later.