Rochdale MP, Tony Lloyd, and Councillor Neil Emmott, Leader of Rochdale Borough Council, have released the following joint statement following the death of Tasaraf Hussain, a resident of Rochdale, who was recently killed in Pakistan. 

“Shocking news from Rawalpindi as Tasaraf Hussain, a resident of Rochdale, was recently killed in Pakistan.

“Our thoughts and condolences are with the family and both Cllr Neil Emmott and I have written to the UK Foreign Office and the Pakistan Ambassador to look into this with urgency and outline what action will be taken to bring the murderers to justice.” 

Rochdale resident Tasaraf Hussain, an overseas British Kashmiri, was visiting his homeland to attend a surprise party with family. He was brutally shot and killed on his way home after leaving Islamabad airport on Monday the 8th of January. 

Relatives of the married father of two have said “His life was cut short in an act of senseless violence that could have been prevented with proper supervision and security measures on commonly travelled routes.” 

Tony and Cllr Neil Emmott have written to David Cameron, the UK’s Foreign Secretary, and the High Commissioner of Pakistan to the UK, Dr Muhammad Faisal, requesting that the death of Mr Hussain is ‘urgently’ looked into to ensure the ‘murderers are brought to justice’, and to outline what measures will be taken to ensure the safety of those traveling in the region. 

—Ends— 

Notes to editors:- 

• Mohammed Sheraz launched a petition on Change.org to highlight the case and call on authorities to take ‘immediate action’. The petition can be found here.