RAWALPINDI: Those who had attacked singer-turned-evangelist Junaid Jamshed at Benazir Bhutto International Airport on Saturday have been identified. The police have sought the verification of their data from the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) in order to arrest them.

The three men pointed out by Mr Jamshed have been identified as Shah Faisal, Irfan and Akhtar and the police have determined their home addresses, Sub-Inspector Raja Arshad, who is leading the investigations, told Dawn.

“We have the home addresses of the suspects and a police team will be sent to bring them to Rawalpindi to face charges,” the investigating officer said.

Though the police had copies of the suspect’s tickets, they requested PIA for a list of passengers on the plane in order to determine their addresses. The police have asked Nadra to verify the data on the suspects and have obtained CCTV footage from the airport to help them secure their arrests.

The three suspects belong to Karachi and had travelled to Rawalpindi to participate in Mumtaz Qadri’s chehlum, the sub-inspector said.

He added that the attackers had not realised that they were travelling on the same plane as Mr Jamshed and attacked him at the airport.

When Mr Jamshed had exited the arrival lounge, a group of people started shouting at him and accused him of being blasphemous.

Mr Jamshed was hit and pushed by the group and he had to run back into the passenger lounge.

The former singer was then taken into the deputy terminal manager’s office till the police arrived and was escorted home by the police.

Published in Dawn, April 1st, 2016

Opinion

Editorial

More pledges
Updated 25 May, 2024

More pledges

There needs to be continuity in economic policies, while development must be focused on bringing prosperity to the masses.
Pemra overreach
25 May, 2024

Pemra overreach

IT seems, at best, a misguided measure and, at worst, an attempt to abuse regulatory power to silence the media. A...
Enduring threat
25 May, 2024

Enduring threat

THE death this week of journalist Nasrullah Gadani, who succumbed to injuries after being attacked by gunmen, is yet...
IMF’s unease
Updated 24 May, 2024

IMF’s unease

It is clear that the next phase of economic stabilisation will be very tough for most of the population.
Belated recognition
24 May, 2024

Belated recognition

WITH Wednesday’s announcement by three European states that they intend to recognise Palestine as a state later...
App for GBV survivors
24 May, 2024

App for GBV survivors

GENDER-based violence is caught between two worlds: one sees it as a crime, the other as ‘convention’. The ...