Monday 3 March 2014

Armed attack in Islamabad district court leaves 11 dead, 25 injured



The attack on a district court in Islamabad's sector F-8 has killed 11 people and injured 25 others. PHOTO: MYRA IQBAL
The attack on a district court in Islamabad's sector F-8 has killed 11 people and injured 25 others. PHOTO: MYRA IQBAL Police commandos stop a photo journalist near a local court building after a gun and suicide attack in Islamabad on March 3, 2014. PHOTO: AFP Express News screengrab. Express News screengrab. Express News screengrab. Express News screengrab.
ISLAMABAD / RAWALPINDI: Eleven people were killed and 25 others injured in a suicide attack at a district court in Islamabad’s sector F-8.





Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences’ (PIMS) Dr Altaf told the media that five of the injured, including three lawyers, were in critical condition. Islamabad Additional Sessions Judge Rafaqat Ahmad Khan Awan and a female lawyer were among the dead.
According to the PIMS list, the dead include: Additional Session Judge Rafaqat Ahmed Awan, senior advocate Rao Abdul Rashid, advocate Tanveer Ahmed Shah, advocate,Fizza Malik, Mian Muhammad Aslam, AIOU regional director Muhammad Riaz, policeman Akbar Umer Tariq, junior Munshi Talib Hussain, court staff Shabir, Haji Sanullah and an unidentified person.
The injured includes Raja Basharat, Waseem Iqbal, Mazhar Ali, Abdul Khaliq, Oun Azhar, Syed Obaidullah, Akmal Umer Tariq, Yasir Hameed Malik, Muhammad Hasnain, Muhammad Faisal, Nadeem Aziz, Mian Abdur Razzaq, Muhammad Bashir, Nisar, Faizan Mahmood, Muhammad Ishtiaq, Nisar Ahmed, Ch. Maqsood Akhtar, Syed Obaidullah, Qazi Rafiuddin, Muzamil Hussain, Amin, Nadeem, Madiha, Muhammad Miskeen, Asadullah, Easa Khan, Shakir and advocate Rai Azhar Hussain.
The injured were being provided medical treatment and police are investigating.
According to Islamabad SSP Dr Muhammad Rizwan, two young men entered the court premises. They hurled hand-grenades in the courtrooms and opened indiscriminate firing with automatic weapons.
Dr Rizwan said search operation was under way to clear the area, adding bodies and injured had been shifted to the PIMS.
Condemning the attack, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesperson Shahidullah Shahid announced that TTP was not responsible.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan condemned the attack and a three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani will hear the case regarding the attack on March 4 (tomorrow).
Police and Rangers cordoned off the area as well as Islamabad’s Red Zone. The remaining attackers are reportedly at large in the capital city.
A case was also filed against unidentified men in the Margalla Police Station.
After the attack, police started a search operation on IJP Road and nearby areas in Rawalpindi. The entry and exit points were sealed by the police.
Initial report
Police and intelligence agencies submitted an initial report to the interior ministry. According to the report, four armed men entered the court building and two suicide attacks took place. Firing broke out after the blasts and the other two attackers fled the scene.
The attackers were between 20 and 25 years of age.

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