WELLINGTON: Two Muslim worshippers who at different times charged toward a gunman to try and stop his massacre were each awarded New Zealand’s highest honor for civilian bravery on Thursday.
Both men are credited with helping save others in the 2019 attack at two Christchurch mosques in which 51 people were killed. One of the men awarded the New Zealand Cross, Dr. Naeem Rashid, was himself killed when he tried to tackle the gunman. The other recipient, Abdul Aziz, survived after dodging bullets and chasing the gunman away.
The award had previously been given to just two other people since it was started in 1999. Eight more people on Thursday were also given other bravery awards for their roles in helping people during the shootings.
Rashid and his son were at the Al Noor mosque with dozens of others for Friday prayers when the gunman entered the main prayer room, shooting at everyone he could.
Authorities described how Rashid found himself in a bottleneck of worshippers trying to escape through a small window and door. He reacted when the gunman turned to fire at people on the other side of the room.
“Dr. Rashid launched himself from his position and ran at the gunman,” government authorities wrote. “When Dr. Rashid was approximately 1 meter (3 feet) from him, the gunman swung the rifle around and shot Dr. Rashid in the shoulder. Dr. Rashid collided with the gunman, grabbing him and knocking him to the ground.”
The gunman then managed to get back up and shoot and kill Rashid. In the meantime, at least seven more people escaped, authorities said.
Soon after, the gunman left and drove to the Linwood Mosque, where he continued his shooting spree. At one point he stopped to run back to his car and get another gun.
Abdul Aziz then yelled at the gunman and ran after him, grabbing a credit card machine and hurling it toward him.
The gunman fired at Aziz but he managed to duck behind parked cars. Aziz picked up a gun the gunman had thrown down but found it was empty when he pulled the trigger. He yelled some more at the gunman to distract him from killing others.
“The gunman saw Mr. Aziz carrying the discarded rifle, dropped his gun and ran to his car,” authorities wrote. “Mr. Aziz chased after him and, while the gunman was sitting in his car, threw the gunman’s discarded rifle at the back left window of the car, smashing it. The gunman drove off, with Mr. Aziz continuing to chase him for a time down Linwood Avenue.”
In an interview with The Associated Press the day after the shooting, Aziz said he didn’t feel fear or much of anything at all when he faced down the gunman while his sons remained inside the mosque. He felt like he was on autopilot, he said, and that God, or Allah, did not think it was his time to die.
Other people awarded bravery honors included a worshipper who shielded another man with his body while being shot, the two police officers who rammed the gunman’s car and dragged him out before he could continue his massacre at a third mosque, and bystanders who helped the wounded.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said each of the 10 people who were given awards put their lives at risk to save others.
“The courage demonstrated by these New Zealanders was selfless and extraordinary,” she said. “They have our deepest respect and gratitude for their actions on that day.”
The gunman, white supremacist Brenton Tarrant, was last year sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty to 51 counts of murder, 40 counts of attempted murder and one count of terrorism.
In a statement, Rashid’s widow Ambreen Naeem said that throughout his life, her husband had always put others before himself.
“Naeem was a brave man, he was kind and loving. He was a true follower of the peaceful faith of Islam,” she said.
“This award is not only for him but for every peace-loving person who stands against hate. For all the victims, not only the victims of the Christchurch terror attack, but all over the world.”
A ceremony to honor the award winners will be held early next year.
Pakistani-origin Dr. Naeem Rashid gets top bravery award in New Zealand mosque attack
https://arab.news/2yv77
Pakistani-origin Dr. Naeem Rashid gets top bravery award in New Zealand mosque attack
- Dr. Rashid was killed when he tried to tackle the gunman at Al Noor mosque
- The award had previously been given to just two other people since it was started in 1999
Pakistan forms task force against Islamabad protesters as Imran Khan’s party seeks action against ministers
- Task force will be headed by the interior minister and will identify those who ‘spread violence’ in the capital
- PTI’s information secretary shares 12 names, saying the party has evidence they were killed in Islamabad
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday formed a task force to identify and prosecute individuals involved in last week’s protest in Islamabad, as the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) claimed 12 supporters were killed in clashes and demanded police cases against top government ministers.
The PTI protest began on November 24 as the party supporters demanded the release of jailed leader, former premier Imran Khan, who has been incarcerated for over a year.
The government had warned against demonstrations in the federal capital, but protesters gathered in defiance, resulting in a crackdown against them. While PTI accuses the government of using live ammunition to kill and seriously injure demonstrators, officials claim PTI activists fired on security forces, killing five personnel.
The task force, headed by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, was announced as Sharif chaired a high-level security meeting, with Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir in attendance, in Islamabad.
“The task force will ensure those responsible for spreading chaos and violence on November 24 are identified and brought to justice in accordance with the law,” the PM Office said in the statement.
Meanwhile, PTI’s Secretary Information Sheikh Waqas Akram, speaking at a news conference in Peshawar, alleged that the government had indiscriminately targeted protesters, sharing names of 12 individuals the party said were killed.
He said videos and evidence from the protest site near the parliament building in Islamabad corroborated the party claims, adding that the actual death toll could be higher as many were missing or critically injured.
“We strongly demand police complaints be lodged against the prime minister, the interior minister and information minister,” he said. “Without this, public unrest will continue to grow.”
“We urge the judiciary to step forward and ensure these killers are brought to justice,” he added.
The government has also announced plans to create a federal riot control force, saying it would be equipped with international-standard resources and skills to prevent such protests in the future.
Pakistan, China hold joint military drill amid Beijing’s concerns over attacks on nationals
- Warrior VIII, which began on November 19, aims to bolster counterterrorism capabilities
- Pakistan’s army chief interacted with the participants of the exercise and praised their morale
ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir on Friday visited the National Counter Terrorism Center (NCTC) in Pabbi, located in the Gujrat division of Punjab province, to observe a joint counterterrorism exercise between the Pakistan Army and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China, said an official statement.
The three-week “Warrior VIII” exercise, which began on November 19, is the eighth iteration of bilateral training aimed at bolstering counterterrorism capabilities and enhancing military cooperation.
The exercise comes as China’s security concerns in Pakistan have grown following a spate of attacks targeting Chinese nationals working on dozens of lucrative projects in the country.
“The COAS was briefed on the scope and conduct of the exercise,” the military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said. “He also interacted with the participants of the exercise.”
Thousands of Chinese nationals have been working on the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) for nearly a decade, with several of them being targeted by different militant groups operating in Pakistan.
Earlier this year, in March, a suicide bomber attacked a convoy near Besham in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, killing five Chinese engineers. A few months later, in October, a bombing near Karachi airport targeted Chinese workers ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Islamabad.
Beijing has voiced concerns over the safety of its citizens working in Pakistan and has reportedly proposed a joint security mechanism.
However, the foreign office said this month the two countries have a “robust dialogue and cooperation” on a range of issues, including counterterrorism and the security of Chinese nationals in the country.
It also expressed the government’s resolve to work with Chinese authorities to ensure the safety and security of their nationals, as well as their projects and investments.
According to Voice of America, Warrior VIII is the first joint counterterrorism exercise between the two countries in five years.
The ISPR said General Munir also praised the professionalism and high morale of the officers and soldiers participating in the joint military exercise.
European aviation safety agency lifts Pakistan airline ban — minister
- The development will revive PIA’s flights to Europe, strengthen the government’s privatization drive
- Pakistan’s Airblue has secured Third Country Operator authorization to fly to European destinations
KARACHI: The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has lifted a ban on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights after a span of four years, Defense and Aviation Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif announced Friday, commending all the relevant officials who made the breakthrough possible.
The ban on PIA flights was imposed in 2020 after a crash in Karachi killed 97 people, followed by a former Pakistani aviation minister’s statement claiming that nearly 40 percent of local pilots held “dubious” licenses.
This statement raised global concerns about safety oversight, leading to the grounding of PIA’s European operations.
The suspension added to PIA’s financial troubles, as the debt-ridden national carrier continued to incur losses amid its struggle to recover from a tarnished reputation. The government also faced difficulties privatizing the airline, a condition set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) during recent loan negotiations, due to its precarious financial situation.
“It is a momentous day to announce that the European Commission and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has lifted the suspension on PIA flights to Europe,” the aviation minister wrote in a social media post.
He also announced that the decision granted Third Country Operator (TCO) authorization to another Pakistani airline, Airblue, marking a significant development for the aviation sector.
TCO authorization granted by EASA allows non-European airlines to operate commercial flights into, within or out of European Union airspace.
Airblue, Pakistan’s second-largest airline, operates domestic and regional routes and is expected to explore European operations following the TCO authorization.
Responding to the development, PIA lauded the lifting of the ban as a testament to its adherence to international safety standards.
“This milestone ensures that the entire nation can once again travel directly to European destinations with their national airline,” the airline said in a statement, adding it had worked tirelessly over the past four years to meet EASA’s safety requirements.
“The PIA administration will remain fully compliant with EASA and its rules and regulations,” it added.
Asif credited the lifting of the suspension to reforms in Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA), which he said were aimed at aligning the regulator with international standards.
“I am grateful to the European Commission and EASA for conducting a transparent process and our commitment to ensuring aviation safety in Pakistan,” he said in the social media message.
The development is expected to help revive PIA’s European operations and strengthen the government’s privatization efforts by improving the airline’s appeal to potential investors.
Pakistan receives 38,000 Hajj applications in 10 days
- Total number of applications received so far is 11,000 more than during the corresponding period last year
- Pakistan has a Hajj quota of 179,210, evenly split between the government and private tour operators
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs said on Friday that 38,000 Hajj applications had been received in the first 10 days of the submission period, 11,000 more than during the same period last year.
The surge comes as Pakistan prepares to send 179,210 pilgrims for the annual Islamic pilgrimage in 2025, under a quota evenly divided between government and private Hajj schemes.
“By the tenth day, 38,000 Hajj applications have been received,” a ministry said in a statement, adding that designated banks would continue accepting applications over the weekend. The final deadline for submissions is Dec. 3.
Pilgrims under the regular Hajj scheme can secure their booking with an initial payment of Rs200,000 ($719), according to the statement.
Pakistan has steadily improved facilities for pilgrims in recent years.
One key initiative is the Makkah Route Initiative, which streamlines immigration processes by enabling pilgrims to complete formalities at their departure airports.
Initially tested in Islamabad in 2019, the program was later expanded to Karachi, benefitting tens of thousands of travelers.
Efforts have also included the launch of a mobile application, Pak Hajj 2025, to provide pilgrims with essential updates, flight details and navigation assistance in Saudi Arabia.
Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, attracts millions of Muslims annually to Makkah, with Pakistan consistently being among the largest contributors of pilgrims.
ICC talks continue on fate of Pakistan Champions Trophy
- Event’s fate has been hanging in the balance since India declined to visit Pakistan
- ICC meeting adjourned without a decision but will reconvene ‘in the next few days’
KARACHI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) said talks were continuing to settle uncertainty around next year’s Champions Trophy, sources told AFP, after India refused to travel to host nation Pakistan.
The event’s fate has been hanging in the balance since earlier this month, when the ICC said India had declined to visit Pakistan for the eight-team tournament.
The nuclear-armed neighbors have fought three wars since being carved out of the subcontinent’s partition in 1947 and that rivalry is often reflected on the cricket field.
A meeting by the Dubai-headquartered ICC was held briefly on Friday but adjourned without a decision, according to several sources with knowledge of the talks who were not authorized to speak to media.
“All parties continue to work toward a positive resolution,” said one source, adding that “it is expected that the board will reconvene in the next few days.”
The Pakistan Cricket Board has previously ruled out proposals allowing India to play in a neutral third country, insisting the full schedule from February 19 to March 9 must be staged on their turf.
Another source said the “Pakistani stance remains the same” following Friday’s brief meeting.
