Brazen attack: AJK minister’s brother shoots rival in bazaar

Escapes in official vehicle, police register case

MUZAFFARABAD: Brother of a minister in Azad Jammu and Kashmir allegedly shot and injured his political rival in Samhani area’s main bazaar and escaped in an official vehicle.

According to the police, Chaudhry Mazhar Iqbal, brother of AJK Minister for Revenue, Custodian and Stamps Chaudhry Ali Shan Soni opened fire on Muslim Conference worker Raja Suhaib Habib in the main market of Choki Samhani and escaped in an official vehicle.

Police have registered the FIR against Iqbal and the minister’s son Adeel Ali Shan. Assistant Commissioner Samhani Chaudhry Haq Nawaz told The Express Tribune that situation in the area is in control and all the alleged attackers would be arrested soon.



After initial treatment at the local hospital, Habib has been admitted to District Headquarters Hospital Mirpur, where doctors have stated his condition to be critical.

Protest

Following the attack, Muslim Conference activists held a protest in front of the hospital and blocked the main road for every kind of traffic. The enraged activists shouted slogans against the AJK Minister Ali Shan Soni and his brother who had allegedly opened fire on Habib in broad daylight.

The protesters forced the traders of Samhani to close their shops.

Meanwhile, Habib’s uncle died of cardiac arrest while caring for him at the Mirpur hospital. The death of victim’s 60-year-old uncle, Sannaulllah, has turned the situation tense in the area.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 10^th, 2014.