July 9,2025
RED FM News Desk
Almost a year after Rahat Rao, a Surrey, B.C. businessman, was doused with accelerant and set on fire inside his Whalley currency exchange, a suspect has been charged—but remains on the run.
Kalid Yimer, 34, was officially charged with attempted murder on June 26. However, no court date has been set because Yimer is still wanted on arrest warrants in both B.C. and Alberta.
Saif Pannu, a family friend and president of the Pakistan-Canada Association of B.C. said ,the attack happened on August 2, 2024, at Rao’s now-closed SNS Currency Exchange near Surrey Central Station. Witnesses reported that Rao went into a back room with a man believed to be a customer. The suspect fled the scene in a stolen vehicle and was identified shortly after by RCMP as Yimer.
At the time, Yimer was already the subject of a June 27, 2024, arrest warrant in Alberta for unrelated charges, including aggravated assault, assault with a weapon, and making threats. He failed to appear in court, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Rao’s wife had recently moved to Canada from Pakistan just months before the attack. Since then, Rao has been hospitalized with third-degree burns covering more than half of his body and is undergoing multiple reconstructive surgeries. Police believe the attack was targeted, though no motive has been disclosed.
According to Pannu, Rao never engaged in wrongdoing and was known for peacefully sharing Islamic teachings outside his business. He was also a respected activist in the local Pakistani-Canadian community and hosted a popular YouTube channel, Overseas View with Rahat Rao, where he discussed current affairs and politics.
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