Police say suspects identified in attack on Dr Asif Malik in Peshawar

PESHAWAR: Senior police officials said on Thursday that investigators had identified the suspects involved in the gun attack on urologist Dr Asif Malik and expected arrests soon.

A senior police official said the people who fired at Dr Malik had been traced and identified, adding that investigators were moving closer to apprehending them. The official said the motive for the attack had not yet been established and that more details would be shared after the suspects were taken into custody and questioned.

Dr Malik came under fire near his residence in the University Town area of Peshawar on Tuesday night. He was later reported to be in stable condition at a hospital.

After the shooting, Dr Malik was taken to Peshawar General Hospital by his driver and remained under treatment in the intensive care unit. His condition is stable.

Police officials had also said on Wednesday that the investigation had made substantial progress. One official said the Dr Malik attack case had almost 80 per cent been concluded.

An official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said investigators had secured all relevant CCTV footage linked to the case.

“The attackers chased Dr Asif Malik in a car. They also changed the car’s registration number,” he said.

The same official said the available evidence suggested that a person who was close to Dr Malik, or knew him closely, appeared to be involved in the attack.

People close to Dr Malik said the urologist, described in the report as a pioneer of kidney transplantation in the province, routinely travelled alone even when he performed surgeries late into the night at the hospital.

“Even after being injured in the attack, Dr Malik drove his car to home from where his driver immediately took him to the hospital,” a relative disclosed.

In an official statement, the City Police said an investigation team had collected three empty bullet shells of a 30-bore pistol from the scene of the attack.

The police statement also said that a case had been registered on behalf of the urologist.

Investigation continues

While police say the suspects have been identified, officials have not yet disclosed their names or the reason behind the attack. Authorities have indicated that further information will be made public after arrests are made and the suspects are interrogated.

The case has drawn attention in Peshawar because of Dr Malik’s standing in the medical community and the circumstances of the attack near his home in University Town.