Secy Cabinet Div’s mother, sister killed in PIMS

ISLAMABAD: Two women were killed in an ambush in the VIP Ward of PIMS hospital on Saturday night when two unknown gunmen opened fire in a room from a window outside the ward, police said.

The attacker wanted to kill one Rana Sarwat, allegedly involved in kidnapping of a businessman for ransom and who later killed him. However, the assailants targeted a wrong room as Sarwat was in Room No 8 but they targeted Room No 9. It was the third failed attempt on his life.

Mother (Saleh Bibi, 60) and sister (Bilqees Bibi, 30) of Mohammad Ayaz Khan, Joint Secretary of Cabinet Division, were accidently killed in the firing.

Police sources said that two unknown gunmen started firing in Room No 9 at about 9.30 pm. They sprayed bullets in the room with automatic weapons causing the death of Mst Saleh Bibi on the spot, while her daughter Bilqees Bibi who was in the hospital to take care of her mother, received multiple shots. She was rushed to the operation theatre but succumbed to her injuries during surgery. The assailants managed to escape.

Earlier, two attempts were made on Sarwat’s life in the last six months. First he was attacked in the District Courts area but he narrowly escaped but a cop was wounded. In the second attempt on his life he received a bullet in his shoulder. This time the assailant was nabbed by a group of students when he was trying to escape.

Rana Sarwat belonging to Lahore was allegedly involved in the kidnapping of a businessman Khawaja Zahid from Model Town, Lahore. He is said to have shifted him to Bhara Kahu and confined him in a house and demanded Rs20 million as ransom.