Calgary's Pakistani community rallies around refugee left in critical condition after vicious attack

Friends of a man left in intensive care after being attacked in the city's northeast this week say his condition is not improving and he may not survive.

Arshad Sohail, 35, came to Calgary two years ago as a refugee from Pakistan.

He was involved in a confrontationoutside Mike's Family Billiards in the 2000 block of 32nd Avenue N.E. in the early hoursofMonday morning, leaving him critically injured.

"He is a good friend, a really good guy. It's terrible what happened to him. We're sad and we're just praying for him right now," said Atif Ali, who hasbeen making trips to and from the Foothills hospitalintensive care unit all week.

"There's no improvements at all. The doctors are basically saying the chances are fiveper cent, someone said 10 per cent. One of the nurses told me the chances forhimto survive is one in a million, basically," said Ali.

"We're just waiting for a miracle I would say," Ali added. "He's a good friend, kind of a family to me."

Ali says Sohail has a wife, daughter and two sons back in Pakistan, as well as a younger brother. He had been working as an Uber driver and fast food delivery driverin Calgary.

"He is basically the only person who is supporting the whole family right now," said Ali.

The Pakistani and Pashtun communities in Calgary areraising money to help the family, including setting up a GoFundMe page for people to make donations.

"It's a very stressful and devastating situation for all of us here in Calgary. This was a young guy who went to the wrong place at the wrong time and it's a very, very sad moment for all of us," said GulKhan, presidentof the CalgaryPashtun Association.

"Our goal is to raise up to $25,000. So far we we got,in 24 hours,about $5,000," said Khan.

"All the Pakistanis,even from B.C. and Edmonton and other parts of Canada, are sending us messages and we are thankful to everybody for their support," said Khan.

Khan says they want to help the family travelto Calgary from Pakistan and cover any funeral costs, if needed.

Calgary police have identified two suspects involved in the assault.

One of them, Kelsey Larry Houle, 21, was arrested the next day. He is charged with aggravated and common assault.

A second man, Daniel Deandre Sparks, 31, is still wanted by police. He is described as black with a medium build, about six feet tall and weighing about 200 pounds.

Investigators believe he has recently changed his appearance by adding shoulder-length dreadlock extensions to his hair.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call police or contactCrime Stoppers.

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