Australia Laments Pakistani Guard Killed in Sydney Attack, Saying “He Helped Save Lives”

Sydney: In statements made on Friday at a funeral attended by hundreds of people, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised Pakistani security officer Faraz Tahir, who was slain in Sydney while attempting to halt a mass stabbing assault, as a hero.

Tahir, who would have been 31 on Wednesday, was slain this month after a stabbing spree at a crowded Bondi seaside mall while on his first day of work.

“Running toward danger to protect people he had never even met, without doubt, he helped save lives that day,” Albanese said. “Without question, Faraz Tahir died a hero.”

The event took place in front of a gathering of people outside the Baitul Huda mosque in the city, with the slogan “Love for all, hatred for none” hanging over the platform.

According to the Australian Ahmadiyya Muslim community, to which Tahir belonged, he landed in Australia as a refugee from Pakistan.

Muhammad Taha, a fellow security officer who was hurt attempting to stop the assailant, arrived at the event in a wheelchair after his discharge from the hospital. As they sprinted toward the direction of the assault, he was the last to talk to Tahir.

In remarks obtained by the Guardian newspaper, he said, “We were trying to save people at that time and his last words were ‘Let’s find out what’s going on,’ so we rushed towards that area.”

Mudasar Bashir, Tahir’s brother, informed reporters that the two had talked earlier in the evening and had agreed to speak again the next day. They didn’t communicate with one another again.

He remarked during the burial, “Even until now, we couldn’t believe that he’s no more.” “We are very proud of him because… Islam, our religion, says that if you save even one human, you save all of humanity.”

On April 13, Joel Cauchi, a 40-year-old man with mental health problems, murdered Tahir and five other women at the mall before being fatally shot by police.