<\/p>\n
WASHINGTON: The Association of Pakistani Physicians in North America (APPNA) said on Monday that it\u2019s looking at all angles to determine the cause of an apparent hate-inspired murder of a Pakistani pediatrician in a Texas town, this weekend.<\/p>\n
Dr Talat Jahan Khan, a physician of Pakistani origin, was stabbed to death in her apartment complex in Conroe, Texas, on Saturday. The assailant, 24-year-old Miles Joseph Friedrich, fled the scene after the attack, but was later arrested.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are absolutely shocked at this gruesome murder,\u201d said APPNA\u2019s President Dr Arshad Rehan. \u201cAPPNA has lost one of its own.\u201d<\/p>\n
Offering APPNA\u2019s \u2018deepest condolences\u2019 to the bereaved family, Dr Rehan added: \u201cWe have instructed our counsel to get in touch with the local authorities and will be following the case very closely.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nDr Talat Jahan was stabbed to death in her apartment complex<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\u201cYes, indeed,\u201d said Dr Rao Kamran Ali, an APPNA member from Texas, when asked if the Muslim and Pakistani communities in the region were worried. \u201cIf the motive is not clear it means each Muslim or Pakistani is a potential victim,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
The reasons behind the brutal assault remain unclear, and the authorities have found no prior connection between Friedrich and Dr Khan.<\/p>\n
But a Muslim advocacy group in Texas \u2014 the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) \u2014 said it was closely monitoring the case, and \u201cremains vigilant to any potential indications of a hate crime\u201d.<\/p>\n
A CAIR statement noted that the police had not yet released a motive for the killing, but \u201cwe want to assure everyone that we are in conversation with law enforcement agencies\u201d.<\/p>\n
The Muslim advocacy group said it too was \u201cunsure at this moment if this was a hate crime; however, given the tragic circumstances, we are paying very close attention to the investigation\u201d.<\/p>\n
CAIR said it had launched its own investigation and encouraged \u201cthe community to be vigilant and to keep the family in your Du\u2019aa during this difficult time\u201d.<\/p>\n
Mohammad Ayubi, Associate Director of the Al Ansaar Mosque where Dr Khan was a regular visitor, also urged the community to remain calm and wait for the investigations\u2019 result. The center is considering additional security measures to ensure the safety of its congregation.<\/p>\n
The physician was sitting at a picnic table outside her apartment complex when the assailant approached her, Dr Khan\u2019s neighbours, who witnessed the attack, told police.<\/p>\n
Matthew Amador, a neighbour who works as a firefighter, said he grabbed his Katana sword when he realised what was happening and ran after the suspect. \u201cWhen I got there, he was checking her pulse and then stabbed her three more times before running away\u201d from the scene, Mr Amador said.<\/p>\n
About 17 people walked out of their homes with guns, according to NBC<\/em>\u2019s Click2Houston and were searching for the suspect when the police showed up.<\/p>\n
Neighbours and relatives said they had never seen Friedrich before the attack and the victim, apparently, had no connection with him.<\/p>\n
Dr Khan had recently relocated from Seattle to Texas and was already popular among her patients and neighbours because of her kind nature and \u201cunwavering dedication to her profession\u201d, her neighbours said.<\/p>\n
Local media reports noted that the Conroe community was still reeling from the shock and had called for increased security measures to prevent such incidents.<\/p>\n
Dr Khan, who worked with Texas Children\u2019s Pediatrics, is survived by a 14-year-old daughter and a 23-year-old son.<\/p>\n
Hate crimes against both Muslims and Jews have increased across America because of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Gaza.<\/p>\n