By Muhammad Luqman
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan has announced a posthumous national award for Mian Naeem Rashid, a Pakistani man who lost his life while attempting to prevent a terrorist from shooting worshippers at a mosque in New Zealand.
“Pakistan is proud of Mian Naeem Rashid who was martyred trying to tackle the while Supremacist terrorist and his courage will be recognized with a national award,” the prime minister tweeted.
Imran Khan said the government was ready to extend all support to families of Pakistan victims of the the terrorist attack in Christchurch .
According to Foreign Office, nine Pakistani national were killed in the attack that took place on Friday .
Naeem Rashid also lost a 22-year old son in the massacre which Bangladesh cricket team escaped narrowly.
The names of Pakistanis who lost their lives in Friday’s attack are: Sohail Shahid, Syed Jahandad Ali , Syed Areeb Ahmed, Mahboob Haroon, Naeem Rashid, Talha Naeem, Zeeshan Raza, Ghulam Hussain and Ms Karam.
Fifty people lost their lives when 28-year-old, far-right Australian terrorist Brenton Tarrant attacked two mosques in Christchurch on Friday. Forty-one people lost their lives at the Al Noor Mosque, while seven more died at a mosque in the suburb of Linwood.
Pakistan,s Foreign Office spokesperson said Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi had directed for all possible help and assistance to the families of the deceased and missing Pakistani citizens.
Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua also spoke to New Zealand ambassador in Tehran Hamish MacMaster, who is also accredited to Pakistan, via telephone, Dr Faisal said.
The foreign secretary conveyed condolences on the tragic loss of lives in the terrorist attack in Christchurch and requested for facilitation in assisting families of affected Pakistanis.
