Summary Says security officer, who allowed Zamurad Khan to negotiate with the accused, will be suspended.
LAHORE (Dunya News) – Addressing a press conference here on Friday, Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said that accused Sikander arrived in Islamabad two days ago. He took a car on rent and visited different spots of the city including Daman-e-Koh.
Nisar said that Sikander ordered his driver to divert the vehicle to two different localities and he opened firing when police tried to stop the accused on crossing speed limit.
He said that Sikander also hit police van while 20 to 25 police officials have been chasing him. The accused did not enter Red Zone, he said.
The Interior Minister said that he had been informed about the incident at motorway and he had been in regular contact with security authorities to get the latest updates on the armed man.
Nisar said that he had directed the security officers to avoid open firing, with the emphasis that accused must be arrested alive.
He informed that the accused had hidden two more rifles in the bags of his children.
He said that accused Sikander was demanding release of his son who is behind bars in Dubai.
Throwing light on PPP leader Zamurd Khan, the Interior Minister said Zamurad Khan showed bravery but unluckily could not overcome the accused, adding that thank God that no big tragic incident occurred as there were many security lapse during operation.
Chaudhry Nisar said that live coverage of such incidents is not allowed throughout the world and he would discuss the matter with PEMRA as such incidents cannot be shown on TV screens.
On Thursday evening, the suspect opened fire in the heavily policed heart of Islamabad after slipping past the capital s many checkpoints. He was later shot and seriously wounded by police during a 5-hour long dramatic standoff.
Sikandar was armed with a pair of assault rifles that he fired periodically and was accompanied by his wife and two children. He parked his car in the middle of one of Islamabad s main roads leading to the parliament as police tried to figure out what to do.
Sikandar was shot after an altercation with a negotiator at the end of the nearly six-hour stand-off. According to hospital sources, his condition is stable now.
Sikandar demanded the government step down and new elections be held under Islamic law, said Hayat, the police chief.
Eventually, a former Pakistani lawmaker, Zamurd Khan, went out to speak to Sikandar. As he was introducing himself to Sikandar’s children, he lunged for the gunman to try to overpower him. Sikandar slipped away and fired a shot. He then held his guns above his head, as if to surrender, but seconds later started running.
Police shot him twice, and he fell face first onto the street as officers jumped on top of him. Some police fired into the air with joy that the episode was over. They carried a bloodied Sikandar away, and also took away his wife and children.
