Woman lawmaker: MQM legislator shot and injured in Lahore

Armed bikers open fire on Tahira Asif after she resisted apparent robbery bid.

LAHORE:

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) lawmaker Tahira Asif was shot and injured while resisting an apparent robbery attempt in the Iqbal Town neighbourhood on Wednesday.

MNA Tahira was buying fruit from a stall on the main Hafeez Taib Road when two armed men riding a motorcycle held her up at gunpoint and asked her to hand over her mobile phone and clutch, which contained important documents and cash.

According to the police, Tahira refused to hand over the valuables, raised alarm and tried to grab one of the robbers. Upon this, the gunmen shot her before fleeing the scene.

The MNA was accompanied by her daughter and driver, who immediately drove her to the Sheikh Zayed Hospital, where she underwent a surgery.

Medics said Tahira received one bullet in her abdomen, which affected her intestines while the other pierced through her left leg, beneath the waist and had affected the main blood vessel.

They said 27 blood bags were administered to the victim and the bullets were taken out from her body after the surgery. Later she was shifted to the ICU where her condition was said to be critical.

Iqbal Town SP Dr Farrukh Raza told The Express Tribune that the FIR of the incident was not lodged as yet as the victim’s family had not moved any application to the police station.

“Tahira’s husband Muhammad Asif was contacted by the police but he refused to file a complaint as he was busy with his wife’s operation,” SP Raza said, adding that the FIR will be lodged as soon as a complaint was filed with them by the family.

Altaf Hussain’s reaction

Talking to Express News, MQM chief Altaf Hussain said authorities did not provide security to MNA Tahira Asif, in spite of the fact that she had communicated to the local administration and police about threats she was receiving and asked for protection.

Altaf said the attack on Tahira was continuation of incidents of terrorism in the country. He claimed religious extremist groups were behind such attacks. “They [groups] are well trained and economically stable,” he added.

He said MQM’s lawmakers had been receiving threats and had requested local authorities for security. “However, no one was given security despite repeated requests,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 19^th, 2014.