Islamabad: Pakistan has strongly condemned the recent shooting incident in Washington, D.C., which reportedly involved an Afghan national. In an official statement, Pakistan extended heartfelt sympathies to the families of those affected and conveyed thoughts and prayers for the deceased U.S. soldier, along with wishes for the swift recovery of the injured.
The statement characterized the attack as an act of terrorism and a heinous assault on U.S. soil, noting Pakistan’s own two-decade-long struggle with similar terrorist incidents linked to Afghanistan.
Islamabad emphasized that the event highlights the persistent threat of transnational terrorism and the urgent need for strengthened global cooperation to combat such challenges.
Pakistan warned that the incident signals a troubling resurgence of terrorism at the global level and urged the international community to renew efforts in counter-terrorism. The country reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with the United States and partners worldwide to confront the shared threat.
Earlier, U.S President Donald Trump confirmed that Sarah Beckstrom, 20, died of her wounds and her fellow Guardsman Andrew Wolfe, 24, was “fighting for his life,”
Trump said the suspect’s “atrocity reminds us that we have no greater national security priority than ensuring that we have full control over the people that enter and remain in our country”.
Armed with a powerful revolver, a .357 Magnum, the gunman shot the two National Guard members before being wounded in an exchange of gunfire with other troops. He was in hospital in serious condition, Trump said.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, is being investigated as a possible terrorist suspect, according to a news release from the Department of Homeland Security.
Lakanwal came to the United States in 2021 on a special visa program for Afghans who assisted the U.S. during the Afghanistan war and were vulnerable to reprisals from the ruling Taliban after the U.S. withdrawal, the official told Reuters. But Lakanwal overstayed his visa and is in the country illegally, the official said.
Multiple news outlets have reported that Lakanwal did not overstay his visa, but instead was granted asylum by the Trump administration in April.
What happened in Washington, DC?
Police say a lone suspect opened fire on a National Guard member at about 2:15pm local time (19:15 GMT) on Wednesday.
The suspect, who was also shot during the confrontation, was taken to hospital for treatment and remains under police custody.
“It appears to be a lone gunman who raised a firearm and ambushed these members of the National Guard,” Jeffery Carroll, executive assistant chief, told reporters.
According to the international media reports, the suspect walked up to three National Guard members who appeared unaware of him until he opened fire. He shot one guard, then another, before standing over the first victim and appearing to attempt another shot. At that point, the third guard returned fire.
Trump was in Florida at the time of the incident.
Approximately 2,200 National Guard members have been deployed across the US capital, including 925 from the DC National Guard and more than 1,200 from other states.
