Surrey, B.C. businessman recovering after being set on fire, suspect still at large

A man suspected of tossing an accelerant connected a Surrey, B.C., businessman and past lighting him connected fire connected Friday remains astatine large.

RCMP allege nan fishy successful nan disturbing onslaught astatine SNS Currency Exchange adjacent Surrey Central Station took disconnected successful a stolen achromatic Mini Cooper, which has since been recovered.

Family friend Saif Pannu said rate speech proprietor Rahat Rao, a personnel of nan section Canadian-Pakistani community, suffered third-degree burns to 55 per cent of his assemblage but is doing amended successful hospital.

“He is retired of danger,” Pannu told Global News successful an question and reply Monday.

Pannu said to Rao’s brother-in-law Monday greeting and learned Rao is now disconnected nan ventilator and recovering successful intensive care.

“It’s a large relief. It’s a large alleviation for nan family and nan community,” said Pannu, who besides serves arsenic president of nan Pakistan-Canada Association of B.C.

Pannu said nan organization is shocked and trying to comprehend nan burning attack.

“They tried to termination him basically,” said Pannu.

Rao is 1 of 2 board pinch Canadian Muslim Advocacy International.

His rate business successful nan 10200 artifact of City Parkway is listed arsenic nan non-profit’s address.

According to videos posted connected his Facebook page, Rao sets up a booth extracurricular his business each Saturday to stock his religion and return questions connected Islam from nan public.

“He’s a small activistic you tin say,” said Pannu.

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Pannu said Rao is besides a protagonist of ex-Pakistan premier curate Imran Khan, and records governmental videos arsenic a “hobby.”

His YouTube channel, ‘Overseas position pinch Rahat Rao,’ has complete 2,200 subscribers and offers “unbiased sentiment connected existent issues and politics.”

Days aft nan Oct. 7 Hamas onslaught connected Israel, Rao urged nan United Nations, European Union, OIC and each nan superpowers to extremity nan Israel-Hamas war.

“This warfare is not bully for anybody,” Rao told his YouTube followers successful an Oct. 15, 2023 video. “Innocent children connected some sides are killed, civilians sewage killed, aged group sewage killed.”

On Dec. 2, 2022, Rao appeared connected shape pinch Prime Minister Justin Trudeau astatine a Liberal fundraiser successful Surrey.

“He’s a very simple, guiltless personification to me,” said Pannu.

Pannu and different organization members person galore questions including what nan motive was and whether it was a random robbery aliases a targeted onslaught connected their friend.

“I judge constabulary request to springiness a connection connected what guidance nan investigation is going,” said Pannu.

Global News reached retired to Surrey RCMP for an update connected nan record but was told nary 1 was disposable for an question and reply connected Monday.

Investigators are looking for a man betwixt nan ages of 25 and 30 pinch a moustache who was wearing achromatic pants, a grey hoodie pinch achromatic arms and a greenish shot headdress pinch Cariboo written connected it.

Anyone who sees nan fishy is asked to telephone 911 and not to attack him.

Anyone pinch accusation is asked to telephone Surrey RCMP astatine 604-599-0502.