Our Correspondent
PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz on Tuesday issued an apology and deleted a tweet regarding slain journalist Arshad Sharif after it was deemed “insensitive and shameful” and drew widespread condemnation from politicians, journalists and activists.
Sharif was shot dead in Kenya allegedly by the local police on Sunday night, with an official police statement later expressing “regrets on the unfortunate incident” and saying an investigation was underway.
Initially, Kenyan media quoted the local police as saying Sharif was shot dead by police in a case of “mistaken identity”.
The news was received with shock and condolences from across the political aisle. Maryam, at around 3pm today, retweeted a tweet which claimed that Sharif, during his lifetime, had mocked the circumstances of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif’s mother’s death only to meet a similar end himself.
The PML-N leader retweeted the post with the caption, “This is a lesson for mankind that we must all imbibe.” Reacting to Maryam’s now deleted comment, Sharif’s widow Javeria Siddique said: “Have some shame Maryam and fear God.” Anchorperson and senior journalist Shahzeb Khanzada said Maryam’s tweet was highly condemnable and a “shameful act”. “A journalist has been murdered. This is your government. This is your government’s responsibility to bring him justice and at this moment you are showing your mindset,” he said during Geo News transmission.
