F-8 suicide attack: Judge shot accidently by guard, not terrorists, says Nisar

ISLAMABAD:

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan revealed that Additional Sessions Judge Rafaqat Ahmed Awan, who was believed to be killed by terrorists in the gun-and-suicide attack at the Islamabad district courts premises on Monday, was actually hit by the bullets of his own guard.

Addressing the National Assembly, he briefed the house about the findings of the investigation of the terrorist incident in which 12 people were killed.

Elaborating the findings, the minister said that when the terrorists started indiscriminate shooting outside the premises of the district courts, Judge Rafaqat Awan and his staff members, including the armed guard, soon left the courtroom and took refuge in the judge’s chamber.

But when the suicide blast took place 50 metres away from the judge’s office, the guard inadvertently pulled the trigger of his 9mm pistol and three bullets hit Judge Rafaqat.

The guard himself confessed to the incident and witnesses also recorded their statement.

Regarding the investigation, he said it was moving in the right direction and almost 80% of it had been completed. The results will soon be shared with the Parliament, he added.

Security agencies have picked up seven suspects a few days ago from a neighborhood in the capital and they could be involved in the court attack.

Talking about the government’s counterterrorism strategy, the interior minister said that specialised counterterrorism equipment worth $12 million is being imported from China. Similarly‚ 65 vehicles to defuse IEDs are being imported and 1,600 security cameras are also being installed in Islamabad.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 7^th, 2014.