Riffat Ara Alvi, the mother of slain Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif, passed away on Sunday, her family confirmed. Alvi had been unwell for some time and had continued to demand justice for her son’s killing until her final days.
Arshad Sharif, one of Pakistan’s most respected journalists, was fatally shot by Kenyan police on October 24, 2022, under circumstances that remain disputed.
The incident sparked widespread outrage in Pakistan, prompting calls for an independent and transparent investigation. Sharif was posthumously honoured with national recognition, having earlier received the Pride of Performance award in 2019 from then-President Dr. Arif Alvi for his contributions to journalism.
His wife, journalist Javeria Siddique, announced Alvi’s passing on social media. “Arshad Sharif’s mother, who was demanding justice for her son, has passed away,” she wrote on X (formerly Twitter). In a subsequent post, Siddique said funeral prayers for Alvi would be held at the H-11 graveyard in Islamabad at 9 p.m.
In 2023, Siddique penned an article for Dawn.com calling for “an independent, impartial, and immediate investigation” into her husband’s death, lamenting that justice seemed increasingly out of reach.
Political leaders and journalists expressed condolences following Alvi’s death. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said he was “deeply saddened by the passing of Arshad Sharif’s mother” and prayed for her forgiveness and eternal peace.
Former human rights minister Shireen Mazari expressed sorrow, writing, “She kept asking for justice till the very end but to no avail — a cruel apathy of the judiciary.”
Riffat Ara Alvi’s passing has reignited discussions about the stalled investigation into Arshad Sharif’s killing, a case that remains unresolved more than two years later, continuing to cast a shadow over Pakistan’s media and judicial system.
