I want to categorically state that I have no hand in the murder of my brother, Arshad Sharif: Salman Iqbal
CEO of ARY, Salman Iqbal issued a statement categorically stating that he has nothing with the gruesome murder of his brother, Arshad Sharif.
In a statement released on Twitter, CEO ARY Network said that since the beginning of his career, he has always taken care of his people.
“It is not easy to be a journalist in Pakistan. All of us face various threats and it is my duty to mitigate them. Over the years, we have lost many colleagues in our country’s war against terrorism, and we continue to support their families to this day,” Iqbal added.
He further added, that Arshad Sharif was forced to leave the country due to multiple death threats and he had only helped a brother leave.
While lambasting PML-N led government Salman Iqbal said that the government was running the smear campaign against him since coming into power and used state owned watchdogs to politically attack him.
He said: “The government has been running a smear campaign against me since coming into power in April 2022, calling me a gold smuggler and arms dealer, among other things. It started with Maryam Nawaz, and the campaign continues under current government ministers. The FBR, FIA, PEMRA and SECP have been weaponized to politically attack me, with numerous FIRs, arrest warrants and a sedition case issued against me. These unwarranted attacks on me and the persecution of journalists by the PMLN government have left me fearing for my safety and unable to return to Pakistan for the past six months.”
Iqbal added that the link created between him and friend Arshad Sharif’s murder by interior minister Rana Sanaullah was the continuation of this smear campaign and expressed shocked that government has not formed any commission to probe into the murder of senior journalist Arshad Sharif.
CEO ARY feared that PML-N led government will not done transparent investigation in the high-profile murder case and demanded an independent investigation overseen by United Nations Human Rights Office.
He wrote: “It has been stated that I should be included in the investigation into the killing of Arshad. I do not believe in the independence of the investigation being undertaken by the present PMLN government but will answer any questions put to me,” further adding that, “I am calling for an independent investigation overseen by the UN Human Rights Office, and will of course provide my full cooperation to any such investigation seeking to get to the full truth behind the killing of Arshad Sharif with a view to bringing those responsible to justice.”
Notably, On Thursday DG ISPR Lieutenant General Babar Iftikhar alleged that immediately after the arrest of PTI leader Shahbaz Gill over his controversial remarks regarding state institutions, CEO ARY Salman Iqbal advised Director News ARY Ammad Yousuf to send Arshad Sharif abroad.
