Three killed over ‘old enmity’

It has been reported that conflict between Maliks and Ghummans has long history

GUJRANWALA:

Three people were shot dead in Sambrial over what police claimed to be an old enmity.

According to the FIR, Shehroz Afzal, along with his brother Shahab, a cousin Yasin and some other people, had been standing outside his house when the accused belonging to the “Ghumman Group” allegedly appeared in a car and motorcycles and opened fire on the victims.

Afzal Malik and Baqir Shah died on the spot while Saim and two others sustained serious injuries. Saim later died on his way to the hospital while the condition of the other persons was stated to be critical.

Police said the deceased belonged to the Malik Group. It has been reported that the Maliks and the Ghummans have been embroiled in a conflict for a long time. A man named Asghar who belonged to the Malik group was killed in the past, and the Maliks were pleading his case to get justice.

Police have registered a case on the application of Shehroz, the son of deceased Afzal. The SHO of the Airport Police Station, Muhammad Ali, said that the conflict between the two groups had spanned a long period of time in which several people from both groups had lost their lives.

Incidents of murder over old enmities are not uncommon across the province. In April this year, old enmity had claimed four lives in Khurrianwala.

They were killed in a suburban village when unidentified accused riding in a car opened fire on them and escaped. Police had identified the victims as Dildar, 40, Khalid, 24, Rana Shakeel, 35, and Qamar Bhatti, 30.

They had been relaxing outside a real estate agency near Sheikhupura Road when they came under attack from a white car. Dildar and Khalid had died on the spot. Rescue 1122 personnel had shifted Shakeel Ahmed and Qamar Bhatti to a hospital in a critical condition where they died. According to the police, the victims were killed due to an old enmity.

In May last year, at least three people were killed in Dijkot in separate incidents that allegedly occurred due to old enmities.

According to the police, 40-year-old Atif Saeed was severely injured when suspects including Jawad Naseer and Badar Bhola opened fire on him to avenge a children's quarrel. He was rushed to the Allied Hospital for treatment where he died.

Separately, Ali Ejaz, 32, a resident of Mian Colony, who had gone to a paan shop in Waris Pura area near Mathaiwala Chowk in Batala Colony, was allegedly shot in the leg by his opponents Faisal and others who were on motorcycles. He died due to excessive bleeding after arrival at a hospital. According to Batala Colony SHO Sufyan Butter, the victim had shot dead Faisal's brother some time back.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 11^th, 2022.