Gunmen attack Pakistani embassy official in Kathmandu

KATHMANDU, April 14 (Agencies): Mehboob Asif, visa assistant at the Pakistani embassy in Kathmandu, miraculously survived a gun attack on Thursday, triggering speculation about the growth of the underworld in Nepal and international gang rivalries.
The 36-year-old was said to be heading towards the embassy from a nursing home around 8.50am when two men, one of them said to be wearing a green T-shirt, fired on him, hitting him in the stomach and hand. The audacious attack occurred on the busy Ring Road that encircles Kathmandu valley, chock a block with people and traffic throughout the day.
An unidentified eyewitness told Image Television, a private television channel, that he saw the two men fire four shots at the Pakistani, jump on his motorcycle as he fell and drive off on it. Police found the abandoned vehicle near the Kanti Children's Hospital.
"The Embassy of Pakistan is confident that the Government of Nepal would undertake investigations at appropriate levels to bring the criminals to justice," the Pakistani Embassy said in a statement. Pakistani ambassador Syed Abrar Hussain, who visited the injured official at the Teaching Hospital in Maharajgunj, said he had full faith that Nepal, being a very friendly country, would investigate the matter seriously.
This is the third attack in a public place in five days. It started with Indian leather trader Anjani Kumar Chachan being killed in his own shop in Kathmandu by two motorcycle-borne attackers Sunday evening, followed by an abortive attempt on newly nominated Energy Minister Gokarna Bista near his residence Monday. Gokarna was attacked by the pillion-rider of a passing motorcycle and received deep knife wounds.