Arshad Sharif

Arshad Sharif was a Pakistani journalist, writer, and news anchor who specialized in investigative journalism. He covered numerous political events for both national and international news organizations throughout his career.

Early life and education

Arshad Sharif was born in Karachi, Pakistan, on 22 February 1973. His father, Muhammad Sharif TI(M) TK, served as a Commander of the Pakistan Navy. While he was still a student, Sharif began his professional journey as a freelancer in 1993. He later earned a Master of Science in Public Administration from Quaid-i-Azam University in Islamabad.

Career

Sharif's first media role involved working for the weekly publication Pulse, where he served as a reporter, columnist, and managing editor in 1999. He joined The News in 1999 and later worked for Daily Dawn starting in 2001. During his tenure, he specialized in defence and foreign affairs while covering conflicts in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. He reported for prominent Pakistani news organizations from various international locations, including London, Paris, Strasbourg, and Kiel.

In 2011, he worked as a Bureau Chief for Dawn News. Sharif also held leadership positions as Director News at both Dunya TV and AAJ News. He launched his program Power Play on ARY News in 2014. As an anchor, he became well known for his investigative work and outspoken criticism of the Pakistani army.

In August 2022, Sharif fled Pakistan to avoid arrest following several accusations. These included sedition charges related to an interview with PTI leader Shahbaz Gill. After alleging that his life was under threat, he moved to Dubai and eventually relocated to Kenya. On 23 October 2022, he was shot and killed by police in Kajiado, Kenya.

The Kenyan police initially described the shooting as a case of mistaken identity. However, a 592-page report from the Pakistani Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) characterized the event as a planned targeted assassination. The FIA claimed that Kenyan police were used as instruments in the killing. In July 2024, the Kajiado County High Court ruled that the police acted unlawfully and ordered the government to pay 10 million Kenyan shillings in compensation.

Personal life

Sharif married Somiya Arshad in 2001. His family experienced significant loss in May 2011 when his father, Commander Muhammad Sharif, died of a heart attack. Shortly after this event, his younger brother, Major Ashraf Sharif, died in a car accident while traveling to attend their father's funeral. Both the Commander and the Major were buried with full military honours at the H-11 Graveyard.

Awards and recognition

Sharif received the Agahi Award for Journalism in 2012. In 2016, he and producer Adeel Raja won the Investigative Journalist of the Year Award for the program Powerplay. He also earned the Agahi Peoples’ Choice Award in 2018 as the Favourite Current Affairs Anchor – Male.

On 23 March 2019, President Arif Alvi presented Sharif with the Pride of Performance award. This honor recognized his significant contributions to the field of journalism.