Police have arrested a young man accused of aerial firing near the vehicle of Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar in Lahore’s Defence area.
According to police, the incident took place on Friday night in Defence-A, where the suspect allegedly overtook the minister’s vehicle before firing five shots into the air and fleeing the scene.
Using Safe City surveillance cameras and other modern technology, police tracked down the suspect, arrested him and recovered the weapon allegedly used in the incident. The suspect’s vehicle has also been taken into custody.
Tarar says he was not the target
Speaking about the incident, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said he was travelling with his family when another vehicle overtook them from the left side.
According to Tarar, the driver then fired several shots into the air before speeding away.
The minister said they followed the vehicle for a short distance and informed police at a nearby checkpoint, which helped authorities begin an immediate search.
Tarar clarified that he was not the intended target of the firing and described the incident as aerial firing rather than a direct attack. He added that police are proceeding with legal action against the suspect.
Safe City system helps investigation
Police officials said the suspect was identified and located with the help of Safe City surveillance technology, which played a key role in tracing his movements after the incident.
Authorities have registered a case and are continuing the investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the firing.
Aerial firing is a punishable offence in Pakistan because it poses a serious risk to public safety, as stray bullets can cause injuries or fatalities.
Recent security-related incident in AJK
The incident comes days after reports of firing on the convoy of former Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) prime minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas.
According to AJK police, the incident occurred in the Tain-Dhalkot area, where one of Ilyas’ security guards was killed and several others were injured.
Authorities said investigations into that attack are ongoing, with legal action promised against those responsible. The incident took place ahead of the July 27 elections for the 53-member AJK Legislative Assembly.
