Bondi Beach shooting: Hyderabad cab driver who saved lives gets Australian permanent residency

A Hyderabad-born cab driver who helped rescue victims during the December 2025 shooting at Sydney's Bondi Beach has been granted permanent residency by the Australian government in recognition of his actions during the attack, according to a report by Times of India. Rehmat Pasha, 37, said he is still coping with the trauma of that day, while his wife and three children are expected to join him in Australia after their applications are processed.

Helped rescue people during attack

Pasha, who moved to Australia in 2021 after studying hospitality, was working as a cab driver on December 14, 2025, when gunmen opened fire near Bondi Beach. He had just dropped off a passenger and was about to leave when he heard loud noises.

"I heard gunshots. At first, I thought they were fireworks. Then I saw two gunmen opening fire from a bridge barely 100 metres away," he said, as quoted by TOI.


As people ran for safety, Pasha said he rushed to help the injured instead of leaving the area. He first tried to save a man who had been shot in the neck but could not stop the bleeding.

"I tried to stop the bleeding with my hands. But all my efforts were futile. He died in my hands," he said.

He then began moving injured people behind trees, benches and other structures to protect them from the attackers.

"I kept taking cover while pulling people away. The attackers were moving forward, so I had to move people before they reached where we were hiding," he said, TOI reported.

According to Pasha, the shooting lasted six to eight minutes, after which he spent nearly three hours helping paramedics carry injured people to ambulances. He said he assisted around 18 to 20 people during the rescue operation.

Pasha recalled speaking to an elderly woman who had been shot in both legs.

"She looked at me and asked, 'What wrong did I do, son? I was only sitting on the bench humming a song.'"

He replied, "Don't worry. Next year you will come back for Hanukkah, sit on this same bench and hum the same song again."

He said the incident left him with severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), making him temporarily unfit for work.

"I still wake up after three or four hours. I hear ambulance sirens in my dreams. I see people running in blood-soaked clothes. I hear children crying," he said, according to TOI report.

Australian government recognises bravery

The Australian government provided Pasha with financial assistance, medical treatment and counselling following the attack.

Abdul Syed Javeed, an immigration lawyer and founder of the Indian Youth Committee of Australia, recommended Pasha's name for permanent residency.

"What he did is beyond courage and recognition," Javeed said.

Pasha said Australian minister Tony Burke later informed him that he would receive permanent residency. Applications for his wife and children are also being processed.

He has also been nominated for a government bravery award, while Uber, the company he worked with, has recognised his actions. Australian authorities have also decided to preserve the cap he wore during the rescue operation at the Sydney Museum.

Despite the recognition, Pasha said memories of the attack continue to affect him.

"People say my life has changed for the better. But images from that day still haunt me," he said.

Pasha said he remains in touch with several survivors and their families, who continue to invite him to prayer meetings and stay connected with him.

"Every time I meet them, some cry, some bless me, some simply hug me," he said.

(With TOI inputs)