Inspector General (IG) of Islamabad Police, Ali Nasir Rizvi, has confirmed the arrest of Saad Abbasi, the suspect accused of killing Pakistan Air Force Group Captain Asim Tariq, within nine hours of the incident.
Addressing a press conference alongside DIG Operations Jawad Tariq, the IG said that the suspect and the woman involved in the incident, identified as Nimra, worked together.
According to the investigation, Abbasi wanted to take the woman to a park or another location against her will. She refused to accompany him, leading to an argument. Police said the suspect had previously picked her up from her home on two occasions.
Rizvi said the suspect again attempted to take the woman somewhere other than their workplace on the day of the incident. When she refused, a heated exchange broke out near Shaheen Chowk. Group
Captain Asim Tariq, who was driving from his office, stopped after noticing the dispute and tried to intervene. The suspect then approached the officer’s vehicle and allegedly opened fire, fatally injuring him.
The IG said police formed 11 investigation teams to trace the suspect. Investigators used Safe City cameras, digital surveillance, physical intelligence, and artificial intelligence to track Abbasi’s movements, including identifying when he changed his shirt after the shooting.
According to police, the suspect had also been involved in an earlier incident about a month ago in which he allegedly took another woman to Mianwali. That matter was later settled between the parties.
Police said Abbasi attempted to flee by purchasing a ticket on a private bus service. Although he switched off his mobile phone, investigators said he continued using the internet through a private IP connection, enabling authorities to trace his movements.
Rizvi added that the case will proceed on the basis of available evidence. He also explained that police generally do not conduct extensive searches of people travelling with family members. Since a woman was riding on the suspect’s motorcycle, the weapon was not detected during routine checks.
