Christchurch attack: Pakistani man who tried to fight mosque shooter before being killed, to be given national award

The Pakistani national's 22-year-old son, Talha Naeem, a civil engineering graduate, was among those who were killed in the shooting.

An image grab from TV New Zealand taken on March 15, 2019 shows a victim arriving at a hospital following the mosque shooting in Christchurch. - At least one gunman who targeted crowded mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch killed a number of people, police said, with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern describing the shooting as "one of New Zealand's darkest days". (Photo by TV New Zealand / TV New Zealand / AFP) / New Zealand OUT / XGTY----EDITORS NOTE ----RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE MANDATORY CREDIT " AFP PHOTO / TV New Zealand / NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS- NO ARCHIVE

New Delhi: A Pakistani national who died in the horrific Christchurch terror attack, tried to fight the White supremacist gunman before being shot dead. The Pakistani government will confer him with a national award posthumously for trying to fight the armed man in a bid to save lives of others. The man, Naeem Rashid, a resident of Jinnahabad in Abbottabad and a professor in New Zealand, was present at the Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch when the terrorist opened fire on Friday and killed 50 worshippers. He was injured in his bid to overpower the attacker and later died on Saturday succumbing to his injuries. His 22-year-old son, Talha Naeem, a civil engineering graduate, was among those who were killed in the shooting. Prime Minister Imran Khan extended support to the families and also announced to award a Pakistani who tried to tackle the attacker but was killed. "We stand ready to extend all our support to the families of Pakistani victims of the terrorist attack in Christchurch. Pakistan is proud of Mian Naeem Rashid who was killed trying to tackle the White Supremacist terrorist & his courage will be recognised with a national award," Khan tweeted on Sunday.

We stand ready to extend all our support to the families of Pakistani victims of the terrorist attack in Christchurch. Pakistan is proud of Mian Naeem Rashid who was martyred trying to tackle the White Supremacist terrorist & his courage will be recognized with a national award.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) March 17, 2019

Pakistan Foreign Office on Sunday confirmed, nine Pakistani national  were killed in the attack that took place on Friday . The 28-year-old gunman, identified Brenton Tarrant, live-streamed footage of himself going room-to-room, victim to victim, shooting the wounded from close range as they struggled to crawl away.