ISLAMABAD: With the confirmation of the deaths of Zeeshan Raza, his father Ghulam Hussain & mother Karam Bibi, the total number of Pakistanis killed in the NZ Mosques has risen to nine. 

Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA)  spokesman took to the twitter to confirm the deaths saying that MoFA officials were in touch with their family. 

Prime Minister too used Twitter to state: “We stand ready to extend all our support to the families of Pakistani victims of the terrorist attack in Christchurch”. 

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi

Shah Mehmood Qureshi said he spoke to New Zealand Foreign Minister on telephone in length who said the assailant attacked two mosques and the whole act continued for 36 minutes. He said the identification of bodies was a complicated and difficult process but all of them have been identified and from tomorrow the process of handing these over to relatives will start. The New Zealand Foreign Minister further told that investigation is being held on the motives of terrorist.

The Foreign Minister said casualties of Pakistanis stand at 10 and one of them is a critically injured person who is undergoing treatment at ICU.  He said fifty people were martyred in this tragic incident.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Pakistan High Commission in New Zealand is making all out efforts for affected Pakistanis in that country. He said families of six martyred want to bury them in New Zealand while three have expressed wish to bury their dead in Pakistan.

He said he will leave for China tonight to attend Pak China Strategic Dialogue and to talk on other issues of bilateral importance. Shah Mehmood Qureshi said China has time and again proved that it is a sincere friend of Pakistan. He said more consultations will be held with China on future course of events in the region.

A relevant piece published earlier: