Sikandar who kept traffic and business activities on the point in Blue Area suspended for many hours. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
ISLAMABAD: A statement on Monday from the perpetrator behind the Islamabad standoff, Mohammad Sikander, stated that he had not intended to create such havoc in Islamabad, but did what he did out of anger, Express News reported.
Sikander, who is currently under police custody and undergoing medical treatment after he was shot in the legs by officials, said that he was ashamed of what he had done in the Islamabad Blue Area last Thursday.
Investigative officer of Islamabad Police Abul Rehman interrogated Sikander after doctors stated that his condition was stable.
Sikander had stayed with his uncle in Islamabad after coming from Dubai and had purchased the guns from Akhtar, who hails from Kasrur. Sikander had placed the guns in a bag in the car’s trunk, and had not told Kanwal, his wife, about it, the statement said.
The statement from Sikander said that he did not know that Zamrud Khan, a Pakistan Peoples Party representative who had attempted to grab him while he held Islamabad hostage, was the leader of a political party when he approached him.
Sikander did not want to bring harm to any official by his actions, but wanted to convey the message of Islam and the importance of Shariah to media personnel present at the scene.
Sikander, Kanwal and SSP Operations Rizwan had reached a conclusion in their negotiations that involved no one getting hurt when Zamrud Khan stepped in to interfere, the statement from Sikander has said.
On August 15, Sikander had shut down the heart of the heavily guarded capital for five hours in a standoff that ended with him being shot and wounded.
SSP Rizvan and Sikander had been negotiating with Kanwal serving as a messenger between the two in the Islamabad standoff that lasted for about six hours.
Sikander's weapons supplier arrested
A suspect allegedly responsible for providing weapons to Mohammad Sikander, was arrested following a police raid at Kasrur road near Islamabad, Express News reported.
The suspect, Akhtar, was shifted to Kohsar police station in Islamabad after he was arrested in a raid involving an inspector and three constables.
Akhtar revealed that Sikander had gone to purchase ammunition from a shop on Sialkot road from a man named Abid.
Officials received information on the suspect from phone call records from Sikander's phone, along with intelligence received from his relatives, Express News correspondent Qumar Al Munawwar reported.
Police conducted a second raid to capture Abid on Sialkot road.
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He might have gained some public sympathy if he had raised the real issue i.e. his son is jailed in Dubai and our government is doing nothing about it. This situation is extended in other arab countries like Saudi Arabia where many Pakistanis are rotting in jails. Remember that people working in these countries mostly belong to labor class and are not educated enough to make sensible decisions like gaining international attention for human rights.
Sikandar should have been stopped earlier at the security checkpost ,What type of image of Pakistan are we giving to the world.
Alexander the great(sikandar azam) from Pakistan
@Ali: who? Saudis, UAE,RAW or CIA?
@NaMaloom: Because he was the one who provided him with those illegal arms. Aide to crime is also a considered a crime my parhay likhay bhai sahib.
Any fool can go and buy ammunition and machine guns at a roadside shop in Sialkot? With all the terrorism sweeping Pakistan, is this what Pakistan's want?
Straight from Dubai to implement Sharia in Pakistan? very weird!
wanted to convey the message of Islam and the importance of Shariah to media personnel present at the scene.
At one time all you needed was swords and spears 'to convey the message of Islam and importance of Shariah'.
Now, you need automatic weapons.
'For the Times They Are a- Changin'
(With apologies to Bob Dylan)
Come gather 'round people Wherever you roam And admit that the waters Around you have grown And accept it that soon You'll be drenched to the bone If your time to you Is worth savin' Then you better start swimmin' Or you'll sink like a stone For the times they are a-changin'.
You shouldn't be giving info about police raids that are about to be conducted. This is very irresponsible journalism.
@Nabidad-Sharjah: For 5 years mr R Malik never resigned when the country was at its worst level,in lawlessness and you want the new govt who is just 3 month in power, to resign.....are you in your proper state of mind, beside, we do not have culture and morality to resign in Pakistan....l
This man deserves maximum security, solitary confinement for the longest period allowable under the law.
The conduct of express news tv was really shameless in all this incident. They aired live conversations with this crazy man along with sensational coverage of the whole incident. I don't know when our media will learn some ethics.
Now Rizwan, and Sikandar are best buddies. You scratch my back I scratch yours. The point is any negotiation with a criminal other than to drop his weapons is illegal. No one can promise anything more.
Chowdhry Nizar should resign.
It will send right signals!
@NaMaloom:
Did the dealer check the licence of the customer? If not, he too should be liable for providing dangerous guns to a person of unsound mind.
This guy terrorized whole country for six hours but our home minister said that as he was not a terrorist, therefore I instructed police to arrest him alive. It should also be investigated that why Ch. Nisar came to this conclusion? Did Ch. Nisar declare him ordinary criminal and not a terrorist because he did not have beard and was not a Pakhtoon?
Now the goose chase begins!. This is the red herring to divert the public from the real issue which is the incompetency of the upper echelons of the police and other departments concerned. Sikander could have been taken down quite few times but the picture of lethargy , inactivity as if the Police and the government was in stupor is the real issue. The real villain is the PPP man who was neither authorized, nor physically fit and who is now airing his bravery in a vulgar fashion. The five years of PPP has brought Pakistan to its knees.
WHY are they arresting the arms dealer???? What is he supposed to do? How the heck is he responsible for a customers actions? Amazing.
Don't understand why this jahaalat has taken over not just the public, but all the institutions too.
Heartening to see the authorities getting to the core of the problem rather than forgetting the event and moving on. Due points for Ch Nisar..
Real Sikanders are coming out of Pakistan...
"Police have now gone to Sialkot road to conduct a second raid to capture Abid."
you are leaking above "inside' information on internet so that he can run away before they get him.
Hmm... why don't they arrest the ammunition suppliers of the Taliban?
It was painful to see how public servants waste the taxpayer's money. Money provided for fancy uniforms, vehicles and the cost of operating and maintaining them. The performance was pathetic. Snappy mechanical movements in parades look nice, but it would be nicer if the public could look forward to these nincompoops doing what they are paid for. I think all the officers responsible for directing the operation should be dismissed for making a laughing stock of their organizations. This is not to say that their colleagues are any better. They are not. But making an example of these twerps should, and I hope does, cause them to serve the public better. If I may speak for the public, we are sick of the incompetence of these people, and want them to shape up or ship out.
A complete scanning of his family specifically in laws is highly recommended!!
Is it legitimate for journalists to issue news on raids which are going to happen ?