Islamabad Inspector General (IG) of Police Sikander Hayat on Monday held the media responsible for prolonging the standoff episode carried out in Islamabad by gunman Sikander.
Addressing a news conference, Hayat said the presence of media at the scene prolonged the standoff in the federal capital. “There should be a code of conduct for coverage during such incidents.”
The IGP said gunman Sikander was affiliated with a banned outfit and was engaged in fund raising for the group in Dubai.
He said Sikander was arrested by Dubai police during fund raising in 1998 and was sent to jail for three months. He was held again in 2001 and was deported by the UAE authorities; however, he succeeded in getting a new passport by changing his name and appearance. He returned to Pakistan in 2010.
According to the IGP, Sikander also received militant training in 1996 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Hayat said the standoff was about to end in 10 to 15 minutes when Zamurd Khan entered the scene without permission from authorities concerned.
Meanwhile, an anti-terrorism court extended the remand of Kanwal, wife of Sikander, by two-days.
She was earlier sent on a seven-day physical remand and a one-day transit remand.
Upon the end of the seven-day remand, she was taken to an anti-terrorism court. Following the judge’s ruling, Kanwal was taken for an additional two-day physical remand.