Akram survives road rage, gun attack

Wasim Akram survived a road rage incident, bringing to the fore the security and law and order situation in the troubled city of Karachi. Former Pakistani cricketer was on his way to the National Stadium when a government car hit his Mercedes, LED 502 -the number depicting his total ODI wickets. It sparked an altercation between Akram and the driver. “The car hit the right side of my Mercedes. I tried to stop him and pointed the dent on my vehicle, but instead of showing any remorse, a man came out of the car, loaded his gun and aimed at me. It was scary. People shouted and told him who I am. He then shot at the tyre of my car and then fired a few shots in the air,“ Akram told media in Pakistan. The gun shots caused panic in the city, with television channels reporting the incident as an attempt on Akram’s life. “Assassination attempt on Wasim Akram,“ a famous television anchor tweeted leading to mayhem on the social media.

Akram, however, played down the episode. “It was simply a traffic issue and has nothing to do with security in the city,“ he said. “It could have happened anywhere in the world as people tend to drive recklessly. It happened to me once in Kolkata as well.But our people wield weapons more freely than anywhere else in the world.“

Akram lodged an FIR at a nearby police station. Akram emphasised on the need for safe driving. “I try to start 10 minutes early so that I don’t have to drive recklessly. That is the message I want to convey to my fans,“ he said.