On February 3, 2026, Pakistan's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) quietly closed the suo motu case about the killing of journalist Arshad Sharif. In a short 14-page order by Justice Aamer Farooq (with Justice Rozi Khan Barrech agreeing), the court said it no longer needed to oversee the investigation. Why? Because Pakistan and Kenya are now handling matters under their own laws, a new agreement for sharing assistance in criminal cases (called Mutual Legal Assistance, or MLA).
Arshad Sharif was a well-known TV journalist who spoke out boldly against powerful people, especially the military establishment. In August 2022, he left Pakistan after facing serious charges like sedition from an interview he did. He went to Kenya for safety. But on October 23, 2022, Kenyan police shot him dead near Nairobi. At first, Kenya said it was a mistake — they thought his car was stolen. Many in Pakistan did not believe that story.
A Pakistani team went to investigate and called it a planned murder, possibly involving people from Kenya, Dubai, and even Pakistan. They pointed to strange accounts from Kenyan police and signs that someone influenced them. Back home, the Supreme Court (under Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial) took notice in December 2022. They ordered police to file a case and pushed for a fair probe. Later, after a new constitutional change, the matter moved to the FCC.
Progress was slow. Kenya asked for an official MLA deal to share evidence properly. It was signed in 2025 but still needs full approval. Diplomatic talks continued: letters from leaders, meetings between officials, and promises of cooperation. The court now says that is enough. If the judges keep monitoring every step, it would be like running the investigation themselves, which is not their job. The order even says the court feels the sadness of journalists and ordinary Pakistanis over Sharif's death. If his family has specific complaints, they can go to regular courts.
For many, this feels like giving up. Sharif's widow, Javeria Siddiqui, called it a dark day for press freedom on social media. She spoke of deep pain and how the government has stayed mostly silent. Journalists' groups in Pakistan and abroad have said the same for years: over 60 media workers have been killed since the early 1990s, and almost no one has been punished. Sharif's case stands out because it happened abroad and raised questions about whether state actors chased him even after he left.
The court's order does not stop them. It simply says the judges will not keep pulling the strings anymore
Lawyers watching the Arshad Sharif case did not hold back their disappointment after the FCC's verdict. Barrister Asad Rahim Khan, in a recent TV appearance on NewsWise DN, critiqued the Federal Constitutional Court's (FCC) verdict disposing of the suo motu case on journalist Arshad Sharif's killing.
He highlighted internal contradictions in the 14-page judgment, noting that while it acknowledges that a proper investigation is part of the constitutional right to a fair trial (as per paragraph 9), the subsequent pages largely undermine this by stating courts should not interfere in executive-led probes. Khan argued that the court accepts judicial oversight in “exceptional cases”, yet failed to apply this here despite the high-profile nature of Sharif's death, which state institutions themselves described as a potential “transnational conspiracy” that cannot be ruled out.
He emphasised that mutual legal assistance agreements between Pakistan and Kenya are merely a starting point, not an end, and commended the Foreign Office's efforts but questioned their sufficiency without further monitoring.
The court's decision makes sense on paper; let the two countries work through their system. But is the system really working? The MLA helps share papers and evidence, but it does not promise quick justice or name those responsible. Kenyan courts have been slow, and Pakistan's own reports remain mostly secret. Many wonder if this is real progress or just a polite way to close the file without facing hard questions.
Still, the fight is not over. Sharif's family is pursuing cases in Kenya and even at the United Nations. The court's order does not stop them. It simply says the judges will not keep pulling the strings anymore.
In Pakistan, where speaking truth can cost you everything, Arshad Sharif's story reminds us how fragile press freedom is. The court has stepped aside, hoping diplomacy will deliver answers. But for those who admired his courage, real justice means finding out who ordered the bullets and making sure it never happens again. Until then, the pain lingers, and the questions remain loud.