LAHORE: Tahira Asif, an MNA of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, was seriously injured in a gun attack here on Wednesday.

She was in a car, along with by her 25-year-old daughter and a handicapped servant, when she was shot at near Iqbal Town’s Moon Market, police said.

Police initially suspected that the MNA had been attacked by two robbers. Her family declined to say anything about the motive of the attack.

Iqbal Town SP (Operations) Dr Farrukh Raza said Ms Tahira of Wafaqi Colony, Johar Town, was going towards Karim Block when she stopped apparently to buy some fruit from a vendor.

As she opened the door of the car, two men on a motorcycle who had covered their faces with a piece of cloth approached her and tried to rob her.

Quoting a couple of witnesses, including the MNA’s servant, the SP said the suspects first snatched a gold necklace from her, but fired at her when she tried to resist them.

Ms Tahira, who had been hit by a bullet in lower torso and left thigh, was taken to Sheikh Zayed Hospital in a critical condition.

The police officer said at least 35 pints of blood was transfused during surgery till 5:30pm, but her condition was said to be critical. She was shifted to the ICU. Quoting Ms Tahira’s husband Mohammad Asif, he said the MNA was scheduled to go to Islamabad.

The family avoided talking to journalists and said they would speak at an appropriate time.

An investigator, however, said police were examining different aspects of the incident with focus on robbery. He said police had received reports that Ms Tahira had developed a dispute related to property with some people.

He said police were yet to receive an application from the victim’s family for registration of a case, but two teams – one led by the Iqbal Town SP (Investigation) and the other by the Crimes Investigation Agency SP, had started working on the case.

The investigator said Ms Tahira’s husband was avoiding speaking to police investigators about the motive of the attack or the identity of the attackers.

Members of the MQM Raabita Committee, PPP’s Manzoor Wattoo and legislators of other parties visited the hospital to inquire after the health condition of the lawmaker.

Published in Dawn, June 19th, 2014