Australia was ‘lucky to have’ Pakistani refugee guard who died in Sydney stabbing, says PM

Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese has said the country was “lucky to have” the Pakistani immigrant security guard who died saving shoppers during a mass stabbing attack at a beachside Sydney mall earlier this month.

The family of Faraz Tahir, who would have turned 31 on Wednesday, held his funeral on Friday which was attended by hundreds of mourners.

The refugee from Pakistan was among six people who were killed in the attack by Joel Cauchi at Westfield shopping mall on 13 April. Tahir was on the first day of his job.

“Running toward danger, to protect people he had never even met, without doubt, he helped save lives that day,” Mr Albanese said at the funeral outside the city’s Baitul Huda mosque.

“Without question, Faraz Tahir died a hero,” he said.

Under the banner “Love for all, hatred for none”, family members, relatives, friends and community members gathered to bid farewell to Tahir with moist eyes.

“Today, as our nation remembers his bravery and honours his life, we affirm that Australia will always be grateful to Faraz Tahir,” Mr Albanese said.

A casket is carried during the funeral for Faraz Tahir at Masjid Baitul Huda mosque in Sydney, Australia (Reuters)

Muhammad Taha, who was also on guard duty the day of the attack and suffered serious injuries when he tried to intervene, remembered Tahir’s final words.

“We were standing side-by-side when all of a sudden we heard people shouting and screaming,” he said as he attended the funeral after getting permission from the hospital to leave.

“We were trying to save people at the time and his last words were ‘let’s find out what’s going on’.”

Even though they had met for the first time Mr Taha said they made a connection that would have lasted forever.

“He will be missed, we will remember him.”

People offer funeral prayers for Faraz Tahir at Baitul Huda mosque in Sydney (Getty)

Tahir, a member of the minority Ahmadiyya community in Pakistan, arrived in Australia 18 months ago, fleeing religious persecution.

Tahir’s brother, Mudasar Bashir, who last spoke to his brother the evening before said he promised to call the next day. They never spoke again.

“Even until now, we couldn’t believe that he is no more,” he said at the funeral. “We are very proud of him because – Islam, our religion, says that if you save even one human, you save all of humanity.”

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