Nairobi — A Pakistani journalist was shot dead in Kenya, in what authorities described as a case of mistaken identity.

The journalist identified as Arshad Sharif was shot in the head when a vehicle he was traveling in was flagged down at a road block in Kajiado on Sunday night.

"It was a case of mistaken identity," a senior police officer said, "police at a road block were looking for another vehicle that had been circulated."

And when the vehicle the journalist was travelling in was flagged down, police said, it did not stop and police pursued it and opened fire.

"It is very unfortunate incident," he said.

Two other people who were in the car sustained injuries after the car lost control and rolled. They are hospitalized with varied injuries.

Javeria Siddiqui who is Sharif's wife tweeted, describing the incident as "tragic."

"I lost friend, husband and my favourite journalist [Arshad Sharif] today, as per police he was shot in Kenya," she wrote.

There has been no official statement from the Kenya Police on the incident, although officers speaking off the record have confirmed it.