ISLAMABAD: The capital police on Thursday arrested a man, who opened fire in air near gate-I of diplomatic enclave, allegedly wanted to attack French embassy in an apparent response of blasphemous cartoons published by a French magazine.

According to police sources, Mansoor Ali, 32, a resident of Sargodha came near gate-I of diplomatic enclave and office of Superintend of Police (SP) city at around 10:45, picked the gun of a policeman and fired three to four shots in the air. Police deployed at the check post overpowered the man and snatched gun from him. Police shifted the man to Secretariat police station and registered a case against him.

The suspect said that he wanted to go to the French Embassy and kept asking about its location.

According to police, the person held by police is being investigated whether he had any links with any religious outfit or had any intention of targeting any other establishment in Islamabad. His medical as well as mental health examination would also be carried out.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021