Tragic news has shocked the Pakistani community in Houston, Texas. On Thursday night, around 10:30 PM, 18-year-old Imad Siddiqui was shot dead during a carjacking attempt in the Alton area. Imad was the nephew of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, the Pakistani neuroscientist who is currently serving a prison sentence in the United States.
Imad, also known as Emad in some reports, was the son of Muhammad Ali Siddiqui and Dr. Lubna Khawaja. His family lives in the Sugar Land area near Houston. He had just started university and was active in buying and selling cars online. On the night of the incident, Imad went to a gas station near a college with two friends to sell a vehicle.
Unknown attackers tried to carjack them. They opened fire, shot Imad, and fled the scene in a Chrysler vehicle. Imad was rushed to a nearby hospital but died from his injuries.
Police say CCTV footage from the area has helped identify the suspects. One source close to the family mentioned a possible name, Oliver, for one attacker. Authorities are carrying out raids and searching multiple locations. So far, no one has been arrested. Houston police have not confirmed any motive and treat the case as a random carjacking. Family members and community leaders stress there is no proven link to Dr. Aafia Siddiqui’s case.
The Pakistani community in Houston is in deep mourning. Many people knew Imad as a bright and hardworking young man. His funeral prayers were planned for Sunday after Zuhr at Masjid Sabireen in Houston. A large crowd is expected to attend and pray for the family.
This sad event has raised concerns about safety in the area, especially for young people. The family has asked for a thorough investigation. The entire Pakistani diaspora feels the pain of losing such a young life in a violent crime.
