Clan clashes: Three men killed, one injured in land dispute

Late-night shoot-out leads to casualties.

SUKKUR:

Three people were killed while another was injured in an armed clash between the Mahar and Bharchoondi clans. The fight broke out over land in the Wahid Bux Mahar village in Daharki police limits on Tuesday night.

Mukhtiar Ahmed Mahar and his clan reportedly had a falling out with the Pir of Bharchoondi, Sharif Mian Abdul Khaliq, over five acres of agricultural land.

The Pir’s manager, Saleh Mohammad Samejo, caught Mukhtiar and his cousin, Nazar Mohammad Mahar, watering the disputed land.

An argument began when Samejo tried to stop them. It escalated into a fight as both parties took up weapons and began shooting at each other.

Mukhtiar, Samejo and his friend Abdul Razzaq Chachar were killed while Nazar was injured. The police arrived and took the deceased and injured to Daharki hospital. A case has yet to be registered.

Nazar told reporters that the Pir of Bharchoondi is an influential person and is trying to usurp their land. He claimed that the land has been in his family for a long time.

Nazar said that he was irrigating the land with his cousin, Mukhtiar, when the Pir’s manager and his peasants appeared and ordered them to stop. When they refused, they opened fire. Nazar and Mukhtiar returned fire in self defence.

The Pir, however, told reporters that he bought the land from Allah Bux Mahar and now his grandchildren, Mukhtiar and Nazar, are trying to occupy it by force.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 23^rd,  2011.