Group Captain Asim Tariq was travelling along Ninth Avenue in the federal capital when he saw a woman getting off a motorcycle while the rider was pulling her hand, police said.
Acting as a responsible citizen, he turned back and stopped near the motorcycle. The woman then ran to the other side of his vehicle.
Police said the suspect, identified as Saad, began arguing with Group Captain Tariq before opening fire. The PAF officer later succumbed to his injuries, while the suspect fled the scene.
According to the woman's statement to police, the suspect was her office colleague who had offered to take her to work.
She claimed that the suspect changed the route and attempted to take her elsewhere, leading to a struggle between them. The woman said that Group Captain Tariq intervened in time and kept her safe.
Police said law enforcement agencies were conducting operations to arrest the suspect. They added that Group Captain Tariq is survived by his widow, a daughter and a son.
Following the incident, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi expressed condolences to the family of the martyred officer and sought a report from the Islamabad inspector general of police.
Naqvi directed authorities to arrest the suspect at the earliest, saying that no effort should be spared in ensuring justice for the family of the martyred officer.