'Man was creating disturbance,' accused tells court in PAF officer murder case

The man accused of shooting dead a Pakistan Air Force officer who intervened to stop him harassing a woman told an anti-terrorism court on Monday that he acted because "a man was creating a disturbance between us." The remark drew a sharp rebuke from the presiding judge.

Who is accused in the PAF officer murder case?

Suspect Saad Abbasi was produced before Anti-Terrorism Court Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain in Islamabad. He faces charges under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act and Section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code over the killing of Group Captain Asim Tariq.

What did the accused tell the court?

When the judge asked Abbasi why he had committed the act, he replied in Urdu that he was with a girl and the officer had created a disturbance between them. The judge asked him whether he believed he had done a good deed. The court then approved a judicial remand application for the suspect.

The court sent Abbasi to Adiala jail for 14 days for an identification parade, at the request of the investigating officer. It ordered that he be produced again on July 20. Two PAF officials who witnessed the incident and the woman allegedly beaten by Abbasi will take part in the parade.

In its written order, the court said the offense was heinous since a member of the armed forces had lost his life. It added that the identification parade was vital to determining the suspect's guilt. Jail authorities were directed to conceal Abbasi's identity until the process is complete. He was brought to court with his face covered under heavy police security.

How did the shooting happen?

According to the First Information Report, registered on the complaint of a PAF commanding officer at Air Headquarters E-9, Tariq was travelling from his residence to Nur Khan Air Base. He saw a young man, aged between 20 and 22, harassing and beating a woman. Tariq stopped his vehicle, identified himself as a PAF officer and told the man to stop.

The man initially left but returned and opened fire, hitting Tariq in the chest through his arm. Officials familiar with the investigation said Tariq saw that the accused was armed but still attempted to intervene to protect the woman.

What else did police reveal about the accused?

Islamabad's Inspector General of Police said in a press conference held late Sunday that Abbasi, who is from Abbottabad, had taken another girl to Mianwali last month. That incident was not formally reported to police, with the families instead settling the matter privately.

The IG said Abbasi switched off his phone after the shooting and booked a ticket for Lahore. He got off at the Bhera rest area and returned to Islamabad in an attempt to evade police before he was arrested at a friend's residence.