Violence in the capital: Two injured in shooting at district courts
A not-too-uncommon incident of firing on court premises; shooter makes clean getaway, policeman seriously wounded.
ISLAMABAD:
Ridiculing the ‘strict’ security arrangements at the Islamabad District Courts, an unknown gunman shot and injured an under-trial prisoner and a police constable on Saturday in yet another incident of firing at the court premises.
The two injured were taken to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, where the prisoner was discharged after emergency treatment and taken to the jail hospital. The police constable’s wounds were serious, so he was admitted to the hospital. A police official said his condition was stable.
The gunman managed to flee from the scene unhurt; however, he left his pistol, a 30-bore weapon, behind at the scene.
Police said Constable Rafaqat Hussain, who was bringing the under-trial prisoner to the court of Judge Wajahat Ali, took two bullets, which went through his lower abdomen.
Rana Sarwat, the under-trial prisoner, was hit in the leg by a bullet which went through Constable Hussain, police said. They said the shooter fired three bullets, two of which hit the constable. The third bullet went stray.
It was not clear if the shooter’s target was the prisoner or if it was an attempt to escape. “We are investigating the incident and hopefully will have something within 24 hours,” said Saddar Superintendent of Police Sajid Kiani.
Sarwat was indicted in a case of kidnapping a boy for ransom from Lahore and taking him to Islamabad. He is also facing charges of murdering the boy.
The kidnapping case was registered in Lahore while the murder case was registered at Bhara Kahu Police Station Islamabad. After the murder, Sarwat fled to the US in 2001. He was pursued by the police and was finally arrested with the help of Interpol, a police official said.
Sarwat has already completed his sentence in the kidnapping case. However, the murder case is still being heard by the sessions court.
Earlier this year, a man was killed on court premises by his rivals in a similar incident, and the shooter had managed to get away. Before that, an armed clash took place between two real estate tycoons, which left a police officer and some civilians injured.
The entire district courts are cordoned off with barbed wire and walkthrough gates are installed at all entry and exit points.
According to the police, the shooter was shot from outside the cordon. He was not pursued as there were no other police guards with the prisoner at the time of incident. The only police official nearby was Constable Hussain, whose injuries were too serious for him to give chase, a police official said.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 18th, 2011.
Ridiculing the ‘strict’ security arrangements at the Islamabad District Courts, an unknown gunman shot and injured an under-trial prisoner and a police constable on Saturday in yet another incident of firing at the court premises.
The two injured were taken to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, where the prisoner was discharged after emergency treatment and taken to the jail hospital. The police constable’s wounds were serious, so he was admitted to the hospital. A police official said his condition was stable.
The gunman managed to flee from the scene unhurt; however, he left his pistol, a 30-bore weapon, behind at the scene.
Police said Constable Rafaqat Hussain, who was bringing the under-trial prisoner to the court of Judge Wajahat Ali, took two bullets, which went through his lower abdomen.
Rana Sarwat, the under-trial prisoner, was hit in the leg by a bullet which went through Constable Hussain, police said. They said the shooter fired three bullets, two of which hit the constable. The third bullet went stray.
It was not clear if the shooter’s target was the prisoner or if it was an attempt to escape. “We are investigating the incident and hopefully will have something within 24 hours,” said Saddar Superintendent of Police Sajid Kiani.
Sarwat was indicted in a case of kidnapping a boy for ransom from Lahore and taking him to Islamabad. He is also facing charges of murdering the boy.
The kidnapping case was registered in Lahore while the murder case was registered at Bhara Kahu Police Station Islamabad. After the murder, Sarwat fled to the US in 2001. He was pursued by the police and was finally arrested with the help of Interpol, a police official said.
Sarwat has already completed his sentence in the kidnapping case. However, the murder case is still being heard by the sessions court.
Earlier this year, a man was killed on court premises by his rivals in a similar incident, and the shooter had managed to get away. Before that, an armed clash took place between two real estate tycoons, which left a police officer and some civilians injured.
The entire district courts are cordoned off with barbed wire and walkthrough gates are installed at all entry and exit points.
According to the police, the shooter was shot from outside the cordon. He was not pursued as there were no other police guards with the prisoner at the time of incident. The only police official nearby was Constable Hussain, whose injuries were too serious for him to give chase, a police official said.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 18th, 2011.