February 22nd, 2023 would have been Arshad Sharif’s 50th birthday. On the occasion, the nation is remembering the late journalist and paying heartfelt tributes.
The tragic demise of the notable journalist sent shock waves across the nation. Political leaders and the country’s media fraternity are taking to Twitter to pay homage to the departed soul.
“Today would have been Arshad Sharif’s 50th birthday. We will always remember his supreme sacrifice for Pakistan. It is imperative that those responsible for his assassination must be brought to justice and punished,” PTI Chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan said.
Today would have been Arshad Sharif's 50th birthday. We will always remember his supreme sacrifice for Pakistan. It is imperative that those responsible for his assassination must be brought to justice & punished.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) February 22, 2023
“Aleeza your father will live forever, Arshad Sharif is a metaphor for freedom, righteousness, and jihad against oppressors and such personalities live for centuries. Happy Birthday To my friend my brother,” PTI Vice President Fawad Chaudhry said while addressing Arshad Sharif’s daughter.
Read more: UK university honors Arshad Sharif by naming award after him
علیزہ آپ کے والد ہمیشہ زندہ رہیں گے، ارشد شریف آزادی، حق گوئ اور ظالم کے خلاف جہاد کا ایک استعارہ ہیں اور ایسی شخصیات صدیوں رہتی ہیں، Happy Birthday To my friend my brother #arshadshareef https://t.co/sxwIhXwxuf
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) February 22, 2023
“None of us know how or when life ends. None are perfect. What differentiates the great from the good is courage. Arshad Sharif would have been 50 today. He displayed more courage than most. How much his sacrifice means depends on how much we, including the media, speak for him,” PTI leader and former KP finance minister Taimur Khan Jhagra said.
None of us know how or when life ends. None are perfect. What differentiates the great from the good is courage.
Arshad Sharif would have been 50 today. He displayed more courage than most. How much his sacrifice means depends on how much we, including the media, speak for him. pic.twitter.com/u0rPj5ObUL— Taimur Khan Jhagra (@Jhagra) February 22, 2023
Prominent members of Pakistan’s journalist community are also remembering Arshad Sharif and paying tributes to him. They have also demanded justice.
“On 22nd February 2022, Arshad Sharif celebrated his 49th birthday in Moscow while traveling along with PM Imran Khan. Today he would have turned 50 – will the killers of Arshad Sharif never meet justice? Can Pakistan move beyond this difficult point without exposing these killers?” Moeed Pirzada said.
On 22nd Feb 2022, Arshad Sharif celebrated his 49th Birthday in Moscow while traveling along with PM Imran Khan; today he would have turned 50 – Will Killers of Arshad Sharif never meet Justice? Can Pakistan move beyond this difficult point without exposing these killers? https://t.co/mSrKHtoVyA
— Moeed Pirzada (@MoeedNj) February 22, 2023
“Today is the 50th birthday of Shaheed Arshad Sharif Bhai, he taught the herd of jackals what it is like to live the life of a lion, and what honor is. He will always be alive and immortal,” Jameel Farooqui said while praying for Arshad Sharif.
آج شہید ارشد شریف بھائی کا 50 واں یومِ پیدائش ہے ، وہ شیر کی زندگی جی کے گیدڑوں کے غول کو سکھا گیا کہ غیرت کس بَلا کا نام ہے ، وہ بتا گیا کہ شیر تاقیامت شیر کہلائے گا اور ہمیشہ زندہ و جاوید رہے گا – ایصالِ ثواب کی درخواست 🤲🤲🤲 pic.twitter.com/OyGBTJUfbf
— Jameel Farooqui (@FarooquiJameel) February 22, 2023
Meanwhile, Imran Riaz Khan and Irshad Bhatti shared video montages honoring Arshad Sharif on what would have been his 50th birthday.
آج ارشد شریف شہید کی سالگرہ ہے pic.twitter.com/WPsbKUkoEW
— Imran Khan (@ImranRiazKhan) February 22, 2023
آج ارشدشریف کی سالگرہ ہے۔۔
آج وہ 50 سال کے ہوگئے ہیں۔۔ pic.twitter.com/mmV99SDusj— Irshad Bhatti (@IrshadBhatti336) February 22, 2023
The senior journalist and former ARY News anchor, Arshad Sharif, was killed in the Kenyan capital Nairobi on October 23 where he was living in self-exile. Kenyan police first said that the journalist was killed in a case of “mistaken identity” but since his post-mortem and his body’s transfer to his Pakistan, several Kenyan news outlets have not only questioned the police’s conduct but have raised questions over the manner in which he was killed.
The mysterious circumstances surrounding Arshad Sharif’s murder had raised a storm in Pakistan, with the Supreme Court of Pakistan taking a suo moto notice of the killing of senior journalist Arshad Sharif to ensure an independent and transparent investigation is carried out in the case.
Read more: HRCP honors late Arshad Sharif with human rights award of 2022