January 18, 2003	Saturday	Ziqa'ad 14, 1423

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window).

ISLAMABAD, Jan. 17: Al Barry, the president of one of the leading multinational GSM cellular telephone companies operating in Pakistan, believes someone made an attempt on his life on the night of January 14 when he left his office for home.

Mr Barry, a Muslim American of Egyptian origin, decided to go public about the incident today (Friday), as he announced to hold a press conference to explain the whole issue. But somehow he did not appear in front of the media and instead let the chairman of the company, Javaid Saifullah Khan, to deal with the media.

Javaid Saifullah told the media persons that Mr Barry left office located in Kulsoom Plaza at 8:30 p.m. for home. But when the driver took the U-turn from the traffic signal at Kulsoom Plaza inter-section and headed towards the Embassy Road (Attaturk Avenue), there was a sharp sound of a shot. He said the driver and Mr Barry ignored it, assuming it to be the sound of some fire-cracker.

“But the next morning the driver noticed a small dent in the body of the car close to the rear wind shield and informed Mr Barry about it. It was clearly evident that the small dent was the result of a gunshot, which was later confirmed by the police,” Javed Saifullah told reporters.