PAF guard’s bullet kills woman in Peshawar

Bureau Report Published March 6, 2016

PESHAWAR: A woman was killed when a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) guard opened fire on a car near Bacha Khan International Airport (BKIA) here on Saturday evening.

Police said that the incident took place at around 5pm. A police official told Dawn that incident took place after the car did not stop after the PAF guards signaled it to stop.

A police official at West Cantonment police station identified the slain woman as Bashirun Nisa, a resident of Akora Khattak area of Nowshera.

The family was on its way home after picking one of its members who had returned after performing umrah.

The police official said the guard was probably panicked after the vehicle did not stop despite being signaled to do so. He said a single bullet was fired, which struck the woman.

The woman was rushed to the Combined Military Hospital, Peshawar, where she died of wounds.

Police said the family did not register an FIR and took the body home. A senior police official said both parties agreed to a settlement and did not press the charges.

Published in Dawn, March 6th, 2016

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Biochemist-Molecular Biologist

Mar 06, 2016 10:52am

Strange!!.

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DawnDon

Mar 06, 2016 11:25am

Well.. I support the action by PAF official. Knowing the current security in Pakistan, there can be no compromise. Had the car been loaded of some explosive and damaged sensitive PAF Base area, then we all would have been cursing the PAF person for not ensuring proper checks. Its time that people should strictly follow what security official tell them and even appreciate them for putting their lives at risk.

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Jawad

Mar 06, 2016 11:46am

In this case the driver of the vehicle should be charged for not stopping the vehicle. I can understand the panic by guard due to recent killing by terrorists in university and school in peshawar. The driver must have stopped.

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Farooq

Mar 06, 2016 11:56am

Unfortunate and cruel realities haunting our country make it impossible to pass a judgement on who was wrong in this case.

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Noshin Bashir

Mar 06, 2016 12:03pm

it can also be examplified as price of forgiveness

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Imran

Mar 06, 2016 12:15pm

It is very difficult to be a guard but the PAF guard should be held accountable for having no mind to distinguish a car having women inside. There should be some sense. And this story too seems not elaborate as it is only one side (PAF) of the story.

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Umair

Mar 06, 2016 12:19pm

The driver should have stopped once signalled. I think that the guard behaved in a correct manner. However condolences for the bereaved family.

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Farooq

Mar 06, 2016 12:22pm

While this is a mistake on part of the woman, the guard should have fired a warning shot in the air or elsewhere instead of directly shooting at the driver first, like on the car tyre or some other part of the car such as the door where the driver could not be hit. If the driver didn't stop after that, further action could be taken. I also don't blame the guard given the security situation in Peshawar and surrounding areas after the attacks. Everybody needs to be careful and that includes both citizens and security forces. Please stop where you have to and security forces need to be extra careful with guns. While this may not have anything to do with the incident, security forces should also not point their guns at the public while travelling and should know how to treat guns. Seeing guns pointed at members of the public is a very common.

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Sting

Mar 06, 2016 12:31pm

Strange on part of the PAF guard training! If he is not sure, he could have fired the bullet at the Car tyres , why straight at the passengers?

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Sunny

Mar 06, 2016 12:34pm

@Noshin Bashir What forgivesness, It should be examplified as the right action at the right time.

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ksch

Mar 06, 2016 12:40pm

Such incidents had happened in past but difference is police and paf gaurd. Reaction of public is totally different here than what we saw against police officer. Same situation but as this is from armed forces so everybody is with paf gaurd. Whereas in past media and public have gone all against policeman who shot. There should be a proper procedure for stopping. Many innocents have lost their lives like this.cant fully blame the shooter as they were doing duty and not stopping car can.be taken as some bomber forcing entering. Should make stop signs or gates more visible. Or add more distance between 1st hurdle and main point. So that people who miss signal can stop. Some awareness ads in media to make people aware that you have to stop when signal is given by LEA.

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Ali

Mar 06, 2016 01:02pm

@Farooq Keep in mind that whenever law enforcement give signal to stop then we have to stop and should't blame anyone, this is unfortunate incident and loss of life, where our people don't use to of it. So what lesson it give to the masses to please stop, this is due to on going panic in the country and it will be alright after some time, but we all should cooperate to avoid such incident.

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Test

Mar 06, 2016 01:27pm

@Sting Shooting at Car Tires belongs in the movies, much like shooting a gun out of someone's hand. In real life guards / police-men are all trained to shoot at the person's chest because it is the easiest part of the body to hit. Remember most guards are not super marksmen or movie heroes.

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Philosopher (from Japan)

Mar 06, 2016 01:52pm

I don't understand why don't they hit car first if someone didn't stop rather than killing an innocent life? The guard is highly trained because he only fired one bullet so it can't be the case of panic. If he would have panicked he might fired all the bullets in his gun. If guard is highly trained as it looks so. He should fire on vehicle's tyre. It might be possible that the driver didn't see the guard was signaling to stop him otherwise who gonna play with his life. I think an investigation on the matter is necessary to know the exact cause of single-fired-bullet death.

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Kpk

Mar 06, 2016 01:55pm

Stop when they want you to stop. PLEASE

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Mar 06, 2016 01:56pm

When police says stop, it means STOP.

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wellwisher

Mar 06, 2016 02:00pm

with all wrong things happening, it is natural for guard to panick.Driver must be cgarged

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Raghu

Mar 06, 2016 03:04pm

He could have shot on the Tyres or in the air. They should have atleast two check posts that if the driver doesnot stop on one check post the guard can quickly inform the 2nd check post and make the car stop on 2nd check post or face the firing squad.

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Rustom E Hind

Mar 06, 2016 03:08pm

@Sting Strange on part of the PAF guard training! If he is not sure, he could have fired the bullet at the Car tyres , why straight at the passengers? yeah right so if they were terrorist they would shoot the guard and he would only be aiming at the tires or better still firing warning shots in the air

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Concerned for Liberty

Mar 06, 2016 03:20pm

What happens if driver did not see raised hand by that guard asking to stop. Was enough signal including siren and lights were given? Do drivers have to watch out always to see a raised hand by any one wearing uniform all the time? Guard could have radioed in with a petrol car... It is carelessness / training / no care of human life on Guard's part.

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Mar 06, 2016 03:35pm

Not filing FIR sounds suspicious. The case need investigation. Who was the driver and why he didn't stop. Even family didn't want to file FIR, investigation should proceed to find the passengers of the vehicle.

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M. Khan

Mar 06, 2016 07:08pm

Unfortunate accident. Car should have stopped. Security personnel are under tremendous stress due to ongoing religious extremist onslaught. People should pay attention to security forces directives. They stop when told to stop, period.

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sub se pehle Pakistan

Mar 06, 2016 07:30pm

@Sting Soldires don't fire warning shots. When a gun is pulled out by any soldier, the fire is starlight and direct on to the target.

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Sadaqat Shah Roghani

Mar 06, 2016 07:38pm

I oppose firing of PAF officials on innocent citizen. Before entering PAF check post, one has already crossed another one before it. similarly if someone is coming from airport,it means h/she has already crossed some of other security check-posts. There is no justification of firing on people even if h/she does't stop. Better he could have shot on tyres or elsewhere on car body. Security guards on check-posts needs proper professional and behavior training.

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Agha Ata

Mar 06, 2016 08:04pm

Such an unpleasant occurrence, and such a beautiful settlement. In 90% cases, it is usually a misunderstanding. I wish we would always try to go this way first if possible!

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Koroush Harimzeda

Mar 06, 2016 08:10pm

The guard should have chased the vehicle and warned before firing the fatal shot. What was the motive behind the signal to stop the car. 5:00 'o clock in the evening is a broad say day light to see the driver.

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IBN E ASHFAQUE

Mar 06, 2016 08:26pm

Why don't they fire at the car's tire. To stop it. The personal are not adequately trained to be let loose on the public. But who cares for the ordinary citizen's of Pakistan......they do not matter for the guys with guns......

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Phoenix

Mar 06, 2016 08:31pm

Trigger happy service man.No matter what's the reason of settlement,the PAF will investigate the incident.

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Pakistani

Mar 06, 2016 09:13pm

What is the guard supposed to do?What if the woman was a suicide bomber.Then people would bash the military and say its useless.Since she was a civilian people are going to bash the military again saying it is killing civilians.Accidents happen.

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NADIM KHAN

Mar 06, 2016 09:13pm

@Farooq. In Armed Forces it is court martial offence if you fire in the air or fire warning shots. When military person has to fire for any reason, the order is shoot to kill.

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Krezy

Mar 06, 2016 09:48pm

Really sorry to hear... In Peshawar region, matters are at high stake between local residents and security regime... Locals are really upset and feel insulted n alienated in their own areas...I just hope peace prevails asap...

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Salman

Mar 06, 2016 10:33pm

Only large caliber bullets can puncture tyres

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Khan

Mar 06, 2016 10:42pm

The car was leaving the airport, and NOT driving into the airport. So why he attempted to stop them in the first place? Foolish thinking and poor training has taken one innocent life. He must be punished.

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Vic

Mar 06, 2016 10:51pm

The driver of the vehicle must be charged---there should be no settlement. The guard was doing his duty.

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Vic

Mar 06, 2016 10:55pm

Firing a shot in the air means that when a bullet comes down---it can kill someone---. Firing a shot at the tires does not stop a car----a car is driveable with tires blown---also a bullet can ricochet of the road and kill someone else. It is best to stop---.

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alpha

Mar 06, 2016 11:01pm

@Imran dear .. women can also do something dangerous ... she should have stopped ..

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alpha

Mar 06, 2016 11:02pm

if they say stop, please STOP

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Imran ali

Mar 06, 2016 11:05pm

why direct hit...

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Khwaja

Mar 06, 2016 11:10pm

The woman may have not noticed the verbal instruction. But what about the scientific way of stopping the vehicle. Unfortunately, this is what the POWER de-facto stands in control. No FIR. Even if legal procedure comes into play, nothing will ever come out.

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M.Bilal Nabi

Mar 07, 2016 12:25am

@Imran there have been some terrorist attacks involving women. so woman in car doesn't mean that it can not be checked

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Saleem USA

Mar 07, 2016 12:26am

@Rustom E Hind Well said.

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Khawja

Mar 07, 2016 02:22am

Though I regrett the loss of precious life but agree with the action taken by PAF guard to defend the national security installation. The gender of the violating offender is immaterial when it comes to taking prudent action in view of the prevailing ground realities.

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Gulraiz

Mar 07, 2016 07:49am

He did what a good employee should.

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@sting

Mar 07, 2016 07:51am

I dont understand how people bring a fly out of such clear situations.

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rehan

Mar 08, 2016 11:22am

I wonder how those "experts" would have reacted if they were in the guard's place. The vehicle should have slowed down when the guard signaled it to do so. There was a very similar incident yesterday in which the guard shot a suicide bomber as he tried to enter the main gate . The PAF guard did his job , that's it.

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