Business dispute over private medical college claims life

Police said one group broke into college at night and the other group opened fire

ISLAMABAD: A business dispute over a private medical college turned ugly on Sunday when two groups clashed, leaving a private security guard dead and two others injured.

The violence took place at Yusra Medical and Dental College on GT Road, Rawalpindi within the limits of Sihala Police Station in the early hours of Sunday.

Police said one group, whose security guard was killed, broke the lock and entered the college by force on Saturday night and the other group allegedly led by the college’s chief security officer Colonel (retd) Aurangzeb opened fire in retaliation, killing security guard Habibullah.



A police officer told The Express Tribune that a property dispute over the college was the reason behind the clash. The security guard who was killed was deputed with Dr Haider Abbas Malik, another former army officer, who is a partner in the college.

He said 14 people have been booked for murder and rioting. The FIR also nominates security officer Colonel (retd) Aurangzeb and college principal Brigadier (retd) Sultan Muzaffar.

According to the police, even though Muzaffar was nominated in the FIR, he was not directly involved in the incident.

On the other hand, Malik and six others who accompanied him have also been booked for trespassing.

Police said the deceased security guard was shot in his face and chest. According to the murder complaint lodged by the victim’s brother, the shots were fired by men identified as Naveed Wilayat and Ishfaq Hussain.



The complainant also claimed that the motive behind the scuffle and subsequent murder was that Muzaffar, the principal, wanted to remove Malik in order to take over his share in the property.

Malik’s father Brigadier Sikandar Ali Malik, who was director of Yusra Medical College, was gunned down in his home along with his wife and two daughters on October 2, 2013.

The police officer said that they had also sought records of the 2013 murder case from the Rawalpindi police.

Meanwhile, the police have arrested nine suspects and obtained their three-day physical remand from the court. Colonel (retd) Aurangzeb, the security officer of the college, is still at large, the police added.