Shootout near court leaves 2 slain

Attack on prisoners reportedly motivated by longstanding enmity

FORT ABBAS:

Two people were killed and one was seriously injured when prisoners who came to appear in Tehsil Fort Abbas were fired upon. The dead included an unidentified assailant astride a motorcycle who was shot dead by the police, while the other assailant managed to escape.

Police immediately set up a blockade and DPO Bahawalnagar and a forensic team visited the spot and collected evidence from the spot. Authorities took the dead bodies into custody and started an investigation.

As two prisoners named Zahid Malhi alias Jadi and Abid exited the courthouse, two unknown persons on a motorcycle opened fire on them outside. One prisoner died on the spot while another was seriously injured in the incident.

One of the assailants was also killed by return fire from the police, while the other one managed to escape. The deceased prisoner was identified as Zahid Farooq alias Jadi, while Abid was injured in the firing.

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According to DPO Bahawalnagar Naseebullah Khan, the suspected assailants had family enmity with the accused in custody and had come with the intention of killing them.

The infamous Malhi family of Kachhiwala has been fighting for three generations, with about 10 members of both families killed so far.

Police have cordoned off the area to arrest the absconding accused.

This is not the first incident of a shooting outside a courthouse. In October 2023, a young man allegedly gunned down his uncle’s accused killer on the premises of a court in Sargodha.

The accused Amanat Ali, a resident of 82 Shumali, was produced in a local court on Thursday. Meanwhile, Raheel, dressed in a lawyer's outfit, allegedly opened fire on Amanat in the court, killing him on the spot.

After the shooting, the police arrested Raheel.

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During an interrogation, Raheel claimed that Amanat Ali had killed his uncle some time ago, after which he fled to Saudi Arabia.

He added that he avenged his uncle's murder. After the incident, the DPO reached the courthouse with a contingent of police.

The shooting on the court premises spread panic throughout the area and all cases being heard were postponed.

Lawyers also protested against the incident, expressing serious concern over the carrying of weapons inside the court. They demanded improved security at the courts.

Similarly in Lahore, A man and a woman were shot dead allegedly by the opposing party as they appeared before a local court in July 2023.

The victims were identified by authorities as Sughra Bibi and Muhammad Amin.

They had appeared in the Lahore session court today ahead of a hearing when armed men opened fire at them. The motive of the fatal shooting is yet to be determined.

Notably, both victims were in court due to an ongoing case where three members of their family had been killed allegedly over a property dispute.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 5^th, 2024.