Two Critically Injured After Airport Security Opens Fire on Car at Islamabad Airport
ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN — WEB DESK: Two men were critically injured after security personnel opened fire on a speeding car that allegedly failed to stop at the main entrance of Islamabad International Airport on Thursday, according to initial local reporting.
The incident occurred when a fast-moving vehicle approached the airport’s main entry checkpoint and an Airport Security Force (ASF) official signalled the driver to stop, Express reported. The occupants allegedly failed to comply, prompting security personnel to fire in an attempt to stop the vehicle.
The two injured occupants were identified in the report as Rahmatullah and Abdul Jabbar. Both sustained gunshot wounds and were transported to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad, where their conditions were reported to be critical.
Car Allegedly Failed to Stop at Security Checkpoint
According to the initial account, airport security personnel became suspicious after seeing the vehicle approach the main entrance at speed.
An ASF official signalled for it to stop, but the driver allegedly continued instead of complying with the security instruction. Personnel then opened fire to halt the car, the report said.
Gunfire also damaged the vehicle’s front windscreen.
The available reporting does not establish exactly how many shots were fired, which officers discharged their weapons, how far the vehicle travelled after being ordered to stop or whether any weapon or prohibited material was recovered from the car.
Those details should therefore remain outside definitive reporting until confirmed by investigators or an official ASF statement.
One Injured Man Reportedly Wanted by Balochistan Police
Express, citing sources, reported that one of the injured men was from Dera Ghazi Khan, while the other was allegedly a proclaimed offender wanted by Kohlu police in Balochistan.
That information is significant but requires careful legal attribution.
The source report does not establish that either man had been convicted in connection with the airport incident. Nor does being listed as wanted or a proclaimed offender establish guilt in the matter for which a person is sought.
The identities, criminal-status claims and circumstances surrounding the vehicle should therefore be treated as preliminary information pending official police verification and investigation.
Both Men Taken to PIMS
After the shooting, the two injured occupants were transferred to PIMS for medical treatment.
Express described both men’s conditions as critical.
No deaths were reported in the initial account, and there was no indication in the source that airport security personnel or bystanders were injured.
The official Islamabad International Airport flight schedule remained active on September 3, listing domestic and international arrivals throughout the day. The available airport information does not establish a broad suspension of flight operations because of the incident.
It would therefore be inaccurate at this stage to describe the shooting as having shut down Islamabad International Airport or disrupted all flights.
Investigation Needed to Establish Full Sequence
Several important questions remain unanswered in the initial reporting, including why the vehicle allegedly failed to stop, whether its occupants were aware of the security instruction and what information caused authorities to describe it as suspicious.
It is also not yet clear whether the ASF has launched an internal review of the use of firearms at the checkpoint or whether police have formally opened a criminal case arising from the incident.
Similarly, the report does not establish whether security personnel knew about the alleged police status of either occupant before the shooting. That means it would be misleading to suggest officers fired because one of the men was allegedly wanted by police.
Based on the information currently available, the immediate trigger reported for the shooting was the vehicle’s alleged failure to stop at the airport security checkpoint.
Security Incident, Not Confirmed Terror Attack
The incident occurred at a sensitive aviation facility, but there is currently no verified evidence in the reporting reviewed that it was a terrorist attack or attempted attack on Islamabad International Airport.
No explosives, weapons or terrorism-related motive were reported as having been recovered or established.
Likewise, describing the vehicle as “suspicious” reflects the circumstances reported by security officials and does not by itself establish that its occupants intended to carry out a criminal or security-related act.
Further information from the ASF, Islamabad police and other investigating authorities will be required to establish the vehicle’s movements, the justification for the use of force and the legal status of the two injured men.
