ISLAMABAD: Riffat Ara Alvi, mother of slain journalist Arshad Sharif, passed away on Sunday, according to her family.
Sharif, a well-known journalist honoured with the Pride of Performance award by former president Arif Alvi in 2023, was killed in Kenya on October 24, 2022 — a case that continues to stir public concern over the slow pace of investigation.
His wife, journalist Javeria Siddique, confirmed Alvi’s death in a post on X, noting that her funeral prayers would be held at Islamabad’s H-11 graveyard at 9pm. Siddique said her late mother-in-law had persistently sought justice for her son but passed away without closure.
In earlier writings, Siddique had appealed for an “independent and transparent” probe into Sharif’s killing, lamenting that accountability had remained elusive.
Political leaders expressed condolences following the news. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said he was saddened by the loss and prayed for Alvi’s forgiveness. Former human rights minister Shireen Mazari wrote that Alvi had “continued to seek justice until her last breath,” describing the judiciary’s silence as “heartless neglect.”
