The prime suspect in the murder of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Group Captain Asim Tariq was on Monday sent to jail on a 14-day judicial remand for an identification parade after an anti-terrorism court (ATC) approved the investigators' request. The case was heard by ATC Judge Abual Hasanat Mohammad Zulqarnain, who directed that suspect Saad Abbasi be transferred to jail to undergo the identification process before being produced in court again on July 20.
Murder Case Registered Under Anti-Terrorism Act
The murder case has been registered under charges of murder and relevant provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Act on the complaint of the Commandant of Air Headquarters. During the hearing, police produced the suspect under tight security. The investigating officer informed the court that an identification parade was required as part of the ongoing investigation. Prosecutor Raja Naveed told the court that two eyewitnesses would participate in the identification parade.
Judge Questions Suspect Over Fatal Shooting
During the proceedings, Judge Zulqarnain questioned the suspect over the fatal shooting. Abbasi claimed he was with a woman when another man approached and was "disturbing" them. The judge rejected the explanation, questioning whether the suspect had been engaged in any lawful conduct. After hearing the arguments, the court ordered the suspect's transfer to jail, directed investigators to submit a report after completing the identification parade, and fixed July 20 as the next hearing date.
Details of the Incident
According to Islamabad Police, Group Captain Asim Tariq was travelling on 9th Avenue when he noticed a woman attempting to get away from a motorcyclist who was allegedly pulling her by the hand. The PAF officer stopped his vehicle to assist, after which the woman ran to the opposite side of his car. Police said the suspect argued with the officer before opening fire, critically injuring him. Group Captain Asim later embraced martyrdom, while the suspect fled the scene.
Investigation Reveals Suspect Knew Victim Briefly
Investigators later revealed that the suspect and the woman had known each other for only a few days. Islamabad Inspector General of Police Ali Nasir Rizvi said the suspect had previously picked the woman up from her residence on two occasions. On the day of the incident, the suspect allegedly tried to persuade the woman to accompany him to a park instead of going to work, but she refused, leading to an argument near Shaheen Chowk.
Arrest Through Coordinated Operation
The IGP said the suspect was arrested through a coordinated operation involving digital surveillance and conventional intelligence. Police formed 11 specialised teams and reviewed footage from 275 Safe City and private CCTV cameras, along with recordings from 137 digital video recorders (DVRs), which helped trace and arrest the suspect.
