Seven refugees killed in dispute over power bills

HARIPUR:

At least seven Afghan refugees were killed, including five brothers, while seven others were seriously wounded when two groups clashed during a jirga on paying power bills on the outskirts of Haripur on Wednesday.

Witnesses and police said Afghan refugees from camps seven and five on Chandni Chowk Road near the Khalabutt Township were holding a jirga on paying power bills and forming queues.

The two groups first traded harsh words which soon turned into a scuffle. At this, both sides drew their weapons, including automatic guns, and fired upon the other.

As a result, five brothers including Hakim Khan, Abid, Faqeer Gul, Haibat Shah, Anwer Habib and their relative Gulab Khan were killed on the spot while another seven were seriously wounded.

As news of the clash spread, a heavy contingent of police arrived at the spot and arrested scores of suspects while the injured were shifted to the Ayub medical complex in Abbottabad for treatment.

The hospital administration told The Express Tribune that two of the injured were in critical condition. One of the injured later succumbed to their wounds.

Police said that at least three suspects have been arrested and some of the weapons used in the clash were recovered from them while others managed to flee. An FIR has been lodged for the incident and a search has been launched for the culprits.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 20^th, 2020.