ISLAMABAD: A Pakistan Air Force (PAF) officer was shot dead in Islamabad on Sunday while “trying to protect a woman” during an altercation with a man near the PAF headquarters, officials said, adding that efforts were underway to arrest the suspect who fled the scene.
The shooting occurred near Shaheen Chowk on Islamabad’s busy 9th Avenue that is located close to several government offices and the PAF Headquarters, according to Islamabad police spokesman Muhammad Taqi Jawad.
The PAF officer, Group Captain Asim Tariq, was leaving his office near Shaheen Chowk, when he noticed a man arguing with a woman and decided to intervene.
“As he attempted to intervene, the suspect pulled out a firearm and shot the officer at the scene before fleeing,” Jawad said.
“The officer later succumbed to his injuries.”
The incident prompted a swift response from police, who took the woman into custody from the scene.
“The suspect identified as Saad entered Islamabad from Rawalpindi on a motorcycle along with the woman,” Jawad said, citing initial investigation.
The law enforcers were hunting for the suspect.
Group Captain Tariq is survived by his wife and two children, according to a PAF spokesperson. The military’s media wing will issue a detailed statement about the incident in due course.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi expressed grief over the incident, describing the PAF officer as “a martyr who lost his life while trying to protect a woman.”
Naqvi directed authorities ensure the suspect’s swift arrest and sought a report on the incident from the Islamabad police chief.
“No effort should be spared in bringing the perpetrator to justice and ensuring justice for the family of the martyred officer,” the minister said.
