Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday said that Pakistani national Naeem Rashid, who was martyred in Friday's terrorist attack on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, will be recognised for his courage with a national award. The prime minister also announced to extend all support to the families of the nine Pakistani martyrs in the white supremacist terrorist attack.
The prime minister expressed these views in a tweet on Sunday. He said, "We stand ready to extend all our support to the families of Pakistani victims of the terrorist attack in Christchurch. Pakistan is proud of Mian Naeem Rashid who was martyred trying to tackle the white supremacist terrorist and his courage will be recognised with a national award." Naeem Rashid, 49, a resident of Jinnah Abadi area of Abbottabad and a professor in New Zealand, was present at the Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch when a terrorist opened fire at the worshippers. He sacrificed his life trying to stop the shooter.
His son, 22-year-old Talha Naeem, a civil engineering graduate, was among those who lost their lives in the shooting. Rashid, who was injured in his bid to overpower the attacker, passed away on Saturday after succumbing to his injuries. A total of nine Pakistanis were martyred in Friday's attack. Their names are: (1) Sohail Shahid, (2) Syed Jahandad Ali, (3) Syed Areeb Ahmed, (4) Mahboob Haroon, (5) Naeem Rashid, (6) Talha Naeem, (7) Zeeshan Raza, (8) Ghulam Hussain and (9) Karam.
The Pakistan Foreign Office has confirmed that nine Pakistanis were martyred in Friday's terrorist attack on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. In a tweet on Sunday, Foreign Office spokesman Dr Mohammad Faisal informed that Zeeshan Raza, his father Ghulam Hussain and mother Karam bibi have been confirmed to have embraced martyrdom, bringing the toll of Pakistanis martyrs in the attack to nine.
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.