The funeral prayers of Pakistan Air Force's Group Captain Asim Tariq Shaheed were offered on Tuesday, and he was laid to rest with full military honours, according to the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR). Tariq was shot dead on Sunday while intervening to protect a woman near Shaheen Chowk on Ninth Avenue in Islamabad, within the jurisdiction of Margalla Police Station.
Details of the Incident
According to initial reports, Tariq was passing through when he noticed a woman who had dismounted a motorcycle while the rider was allegedly pulling her by the hand. He turned back and stopped near the motorcycle, prompting the woman to run to the other side of his vehicle. During the confrontation, the alleged suspect exchanged harsh words with the officer before opening fire on him. Tariq later succumbed to his injuries, while the suspect fled the scene.
Funeral and Tributes
A statement issued by the ISPR said: "Funeral prayers of Group Captain Asim Tariq Shaheed, who embraced martyrdom while courageously intervening to rescue a woman in distress in Islamabad, were offered today. The martyred officer was laid to rest with full military honours in recognition of his exceptional courage, selfless devotion and unwavering sense of duty." Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu attended the funeral prayers along with senior officers, airmen, and a large gathering of the civil community to pay final respects to the "valiant officer and honour his supreme sacrifice."
Paying tribute, the air chief said Tariq's sacrifice "epitomises the finest traditions of the Pakistan Air Force and the Armed Forces of Pakistan." He added that by laying down his life while protecting an innocent citizen, Tariq had demonstrated that the men and women of the Pakistan Air Force remained "steadfast in their commitment not only to safeguarding the nation's frontiers, but also to protecting the lives, dignity and honour of their fellow countrymen."
Legal Proceedings
The first information report (FIR) of the case was registered on charges of murder and under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act. The FIR, lodged on the complaint of Wing Commander Imran Khurram Nawaz, stated that Tariq stopped the suspect from misbehaving with a girl, upon which the suspect opened fire. Tariq died on the spot. Islamabad Inspector General of Police Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi said the suspect opened fire after the officer intervened when the suspect allegedly tried to forcibly take a woman with him.
The police chief said the shooting occurred at 11:21am and the suspect was arrested within nine hours. He stated that the suspect and the woman worked at the same store and had previously visited together. On the day of the incident, the suspect allegedly wanted to take the woman to a park or another location, but she refused. The officer intervened after witnessing the altercation, whereupon the suspect turned back on his motorcycle and shot him. Rizvi said 11 police teams investigated the case, reviewed footage from 275 Safe City cameras, and used artificial intelligence tools to trace the suspect. He was arrested in Islamabad after allegedly purchasing a Skyways bus ticket and switching off his mobile phone data. A day ago, he was sent to jail on a 14-day judicial remand for an identification parade.
