ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: At least six Pakistanis were martyred in the terrorist attack at two mosques in New Zealand’s Christchurch City wherein worshipers had gathered for Friday Prayers.
In a tweet on Saturday, the Foreign Office Spokesman Dr Mohammad Faisal said that Sohail Shahid, Syed Jahandad Ali, Syed Areeb Ahmed, Mahboob Haroon, Naeem Rashid and his son Talha Naeem have been announced dead by the New Zealand authorities.
Dr Faisal said that other three missing are still being identified.
Immediate family members of victims of terrorist attack in New Zealand can apply for Visa at;
http:/ https://t.co/y4cT4uRYCC
1/2— Dr Mohammad Faisal (@DrMFaisal) March 16, 2019
applicants may send application number and scanned copies of passports to Mr. Moin Fudda, Honrary CG of New Zealand for Pakistan
email: moin@fudda.org
WhatsApp: +923428200200 2/2— Dr Mohammad Faisal (@DrMFaisal) March 16, 2019
Earlier on Friday in a twitter message, the Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal issued a list of nine Pakistanis who went missing in New Zealand following the Christchurch mosques attack.
List of Missing Pakistanis after Christchurch Terrorist Attack
Terrorism in New Zealand: NZ police has circulated 74 names of missing persons (after the incident) as reported by families and diplomatic representatives. They have informed that they have only 49 dead bodies. Police have sought assistance to delete names that are duplicated.
— Dr Mohammad Faisal (@DrMFaisal) March 16, 2019
This is currently in progress. Simultaneously, postmortems are being conducted as per local law. Finally, identification of dead bodies will be done before formal announcement of names.
— Dr Mohammad Faisal (@DrMFaisal) March 16, 2019
In another earlier statement, the Foreign Office said that Pakistan’s High Commission in New Zealand was in touch with the local concerned authorities to obtain further details. It said that contact number of the focal person in the High Commission had been circulated.
According to a foreign news agency, most of the deceased persons belonged to Middle East and South Asia.
The news agency reported that three Bangladeshi and two Jordanian were among the dead while nine Indians, five Pakistanis, three Turk and two Afghans were missing.
Also Read: Pakistan seeks strict action against perpetrators of Christchurch mosques attack
As many as 49 people were killed and more than 20 injured when a gunman targeted worshippers in two mosques namely Masjid Al Noor and Linwood Masjid during Friday prayers in Christchurch.
Meanwhile, four people including three men and one woman are in the police custody for their alleged involvement in the attack.
The New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush said that a man, identified as 28-year-old Australian Brenton Tarrant, has been charged with murder in connection with the terrorist attack and will be produced before the court on Saturday.
The main suspect Brenton Tarrant reportedly entered into Christchurch’s Masjid Al Noor and Linwood Masjid with loaded rifles, and shot dead at least 41 and seven worshipers respectively in both mosques.
