ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's military on Thursday called for an international probe into the killing of a Pakistani journalist who was shot dead by police in Kenya where he lived in hiding after fleeing the country.
Arshad Sharif, 49, known for his criticism of Pakistan's military, fled the country in August after sedition charges were filed against him for blaming generals for the ouster of former premier Imran Khan.
Khan, who was ousted by the parliament this year, said he had asked the journalist to flee based on information that a plot had been hatched for his assassination.
"There should be a transparent investigation by an international agency like the United Nations (UN)," Pakistan's military spokesperson General Babar Iftikhar said.
Khan's allegations forced Pakistan's spy chief to speak to media for the first time in the country's history.
"There wasn't any known threat to the life of Sharif. He was in touch with his friends within our agency," said General Nadeem Anjum, head of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
Kenyan police said the journalist was killed when the car he was driving in with another Pakistani man didn't stop at a check-post. They described it as a case of mistaken identity.
But that version of events has been met with scepticism both in Pakistan and Kenya.
Sharif's body was flown to Pakistan on Wednesday and his funeral on Thursday.
Imran Khan has announced a protest march to call for early elections from Friday, a move seen as a final push by the ousted leader to topple the government.
Sharif's death has triggered a wave of anger against the military among Khan's supporters. - dpa
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