Columnist Marvi Sarmad escapes attempt on life
By: Shakeel Anjum
ISLAMABAD: Marvi Sarmad, columnist and human rights campaigner, on Friday night narrowly escaped when some unknown gunmen opened fire at her car on the Murree Road near Shahdara More in front of Malpur when she was making a right turn towards the Bani Gala where she lives.
The police registered a case against unknown assailants.Inspector General of Police (IGP) Bani Ameen, when contacted, confirmed the incident and said that different teams had been constituted to nab the assailants. He said criminals involved in the attack, would be arrested within two days.
Marvi Sarmad told The News that she left her office at about 7.00pm as routine on her car with driver, adding that as their car turned right towards the Bani Gala, they saw a car with black tinted windows parked beside the road in mysterious circumstances.
“We witnessed that a gun appeared from a window of the car and shot two fires aiming at our car but luckily, bullet missed the target and didn’t hit the car,” Marvi said adding that her driver, who had felt the danger and was conscious, sped up the car but the shooter shot a gun fire from back which was missed again. She said that they approached the nearest police check post and informed a sub inspector deployed at the police picket, but by the time they returned to the scene of crime, the assailant’s car had disappeared. Marvi said that she did not know who could have attacked her.
Marvi Sarmad said that a white car was observed chasing her for the last three days. She said she was unaware of the people involved in the attack but said she had been receiving frequently threats from unknown people through SMS, emails and blogs. “Some unknown people conveyed message on blog to shoot me at sight terming me as agent of the RAW,” she concluded.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik taking action asked the IGP to submit a detailed report of the incident and ordered to provide security to Marvi Sarmad at her house.
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