Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Group Captain Asim Tariq, who lost his life saving a woman in distress, was laid to rest with full military honours, the military’s media wing said on Tuesday.

Funeral prayers for the group captain were held today, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.

He was laid to rest with “full military honours in recognition of his exceptional courage, selfless devotion and unwavering sense of duty”.

According to ISPR, PAF Air Chief Marshal (ACM) Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu, along with senior officers, airmen and a large gathering of civil society members, attended the prayers and paid “final respects to the valiant officer and honoured his supreme sacrifice”.

ISPR quoted ACM Sidhu as stating that the sacrifice “epitomises the finest traditions of the PAF and the Armed Forces of Pakistan”.

ACM Sidhu noted that through his sacrifice, the officer had demonstrated that “men and women of the PAF remain steadfast in their commitment not only to safeguarding the nation’s frontiers, but also to protecting the lives, dignity and honour of their fellow countrymen”.

PM Shehbaz pays tribute

Addressing the federal cabinet, the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif paid tribute to martyred PAF officer. He prayed for the elevation of the martyr’s ranks and expressed condolences to the bereaved family.

The prime minister said the accused had been arrested and would be brought to justice in accordance with the law.

He also lauded the sacrifices of the country’s security forces in the fight against terrorism, referring to the recent killing of 15 terrorists in Balochistan.

The incident occurred within the jurisdiction of the Margalla police station, near Air University and opposite Bahria University on Sunday.

According to details, Tariq was en route to Rawalpindi for an official assignment. When he was passing by, he saw the man forcefully pulling a woman towards his bike. The officer took a U-turn and stopped near the bike.

As he intervened, the woman approached his vehicle, ostensibly for safety. Police said the suspect first argued with the PAF officer and then opened fire on him.

At a press conference on Sunday night, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad Ali Nasir Rizvi said the suspect was arrested within nine hours of the incident.

He said the woman and the suspect worked at a cash and carry outlet in G-6, and he sometimes picked and dropped her off. After picking her up on Sunday, the suspect wanted to take the woman to a park or some other location. The woman resisted, leading him to stop the motorcycle at 9th Avenue.