Bullet hits Akram's car

Former Pakistan cricket captain Wasim Akram escaped unhurt when bullets fired near his car grazed the vehicle following a traffic accident in Karachi on Wednesday.

"A car crashed into my vehicle and when I asked him [the driver] to pull over, he stepped out and opened fire. His appearance resembled that of an official," Akram told local media.

Akram, who is currently conducting a fast bowling camp at Karachi's National Stadium, was on his way to a training session when his car was hit.

Thankfully, legendary Pakistan pace bowler Wasim Akram escaped unhurt in a Karachi shooting, understandably not from a terrorist attack. The sultan of swing was on his way to impart training to some young fast bowlers at the National Stadium in Karachi on Wednesday when he became a victim of road rage. “A car crashed into my vehicle and when I asked him [the driver] to pull over, a person stepped out from the back seat holding a gun and pointing it towards me. The traffic had stopped and someone from the crowd recognised me. After that the person fired at the tyre of my vehicle and left the scene in haste,” is how the champion pace bowler narrated the incident at the Karachi National Stadium. Photos: AFP

"It was a minor accident, I asked the driver of the car to stop but he accelerated at which I got a bit frustrated and chased that car," said Akram while addressing a press conference later at the National Stadium.

"The driver of that car hit my car and blocked my way. A person stepped out from the back seat holding a gun and pointing it towards me.

"Meanwhile, the traffic had stopped and someone from the crowd recognised me. After which the person fired at the tyre of my vehicle and left the scene in haste," narrated Akram.

Road rage keeps happening but it's not the way to settle it with weapons, he stressed. "I have shared all the details with police and am confidence that they will get the culprit."

According to police, there were several cars involved in the crash but Akram said his car had been deliberately targeted.

Speaking to the media outside the National Stadium, Deputy Inspector General East Munir Sheikh said the episode was a clear case of road rage.

"According to preliminary investigation, the incident appears to be a case of road rage. But we cannot say clearly what the motive behind the attack on Wasim Akram was. We have identified the car from CCTV footage and will have the suspect in custody in a couple of hours," Sheikh said.

Very soon after the incident police announced that a raid was conducted on a house situated on DHA's Khayaban-e-Hilal during which the vehicle identified by Wasim Akram had been recovered.

Police raided a bungalow in Defence area of Karachi, and recovered a car with the same number plate as the one reportedly involved in the traffic spat earlier.

Although the number plate is the same, the colour of the car is different from the one that was involved in the incident involving Wasim Akram.

"Either the number plates on the other car were forged or the car in question was sold earlier, we are waiting for clarification," said SSP Qaimkhani.

The owners of the bungalow were not present at the premises, and police has not taken anyone in custody.

Meanwhile, as news of the incident broke on television channels, former and current cricketing stars along with fans took to the social media to express their relief that Akram is safe.

The 49-year-old Akram, regarded as one of the best left-arm paceman to have played the game, is training around 20 young bowlers from across the country in a Pakistan Cricket Board talent hunt.

Akram was plucked from obscurity during a similar talent hunt in 1984 and rose to enormous heights at international level, taking 414 Test and 502 one-day wickets during an illustrious career.