Pakistan Air Force officer killed after intervening in alleged harassment in Islamabad

A serving Pakistan Air Force officer was shot dead in Islamabad on Sunday after intervening to help a woman he saw being harassed on a busy road, police and officials said. Group Captain Asim Tariq was shot once in the chest and died at the scene after confronting a man allegedly trying to force the woman onto his motorbike.

What happened to the Pakistan Air Force officer in Islamabad?

Group Captain Tariq was driving past Shaheen Chowk on Ninth Avenue when he saw a man pulling a woman by the arm near a motorbike. He stopped to intervene, letting the woman move to the other side of the bike, and the man then pulled out a gun and shot him before fleeing.

The suspect, identified as Saad, and the woman are both around 20 years old and live in Islamabad's Khanna area. Officials said the two work together at a cash-and-carry store in the Abpara neighborhood, and Saad regularly gave her rides to work.

Why did the argument between the woman and the suspect start?

Officials said Saad usually drove the woman directly to work but on Sunday allegedly tried to take her to a park instead. She refused, and the disagreement escalated into a physical struggle on the road, which is when Tariq stepped in.

The woman later told investigators that Saad was her colleague and had offered to accompany her to work before trying to divert to another location, triggering the confrontation. She said Tariq's intervention saved her from the situation.

Has the suspect in the Islamabad shooting been arrested?

SP City Dr. Ayaz told Nukta that the woman has been taken into police custody as part of the investigation, while police continue tracking Saad, who fled the scene after the shooting. Officials said his arrest is expected soon.

Group Captain Tariq is survived by his widow, a daughter and a son.