Imperial Market shootout: Attackers booked for terrorism in Pindi

RAWALPINDI: A suspect, caught during an exchange of fire with Rawalpindi police at a picket in Imperial Market on Tuesday evening, has been charged under anti-terror laws.

Meanwhile, the bravery of the police officer who tackled the armed suspect while under fire has been hailed by senior police and government officers.

The injured suspect, whom Rawalpindi City police station SHO Sultan Qamar had tackled, was arrested. He was booked on an application filed by the SHO.

In the first information report (FIR), Qamar stated that on Tuesday evening, two men riding on a motorbike from Usmanpura on the Leh Expressway were hailed to stop at the Imperial Market picket for snap checking.

Instead of stopping, Qamar said, that the passenger on the motorbike allegedly opened fire at the police officers manning the picket. This left two police officers injured including Head Constable Akhtar and Volunteer Akhtar was injured.

The suspect, though, kept on firing and caused fear and panic to spread in the market.

Qamar, though, tackled one of the suspects and kept a hold of him until the gun-toting assailant ran out of bullets in his gun.

In the FIR, police said they had charged the suspect with attempted murder, terrorism and other sections of the criminal code.

The suspect, who had been injured by police officers retaliating to the attack, was also formally arrested. He has been identified as Fazlur Rehman.

Officials said that they were conducting raids to arrest the absconding suspect.

Qamar told Daily Express that initial investigations show that the Rehman and his accomplice, who managed to escape, appear to be brothers who live in a slum near Carriage Factory.

He was optimistic about apprehending the absconding suspect soon. 

Published in The Express Tribune, December 27^th, 2018.