Two injured in clash over control of building

KARACHI:

Two persons were injured in a shooting triggered by an altercation on Tariq Road on Saturday, sparking chaos in one of the city's busiest commercial centres as angry protesters blocked both lanes of the road, disrupting vehicular traffic. Police took three men into custody for their alleged involvement in the shooting and recovered weapons from them.

The shooting took place inside Freeport Building, located at the corner of Mochi Gali, opposite Dolmen Mall, within the jurisdiction of Ferozabad police station. Police and eyewitness said the trigger of the altercation was a dispute between two rival groups over control of the building.

The two injured were identified as Muhammad Khan, 25, and Hazrat Ali, 17. Following the violent clash, a crowd gathered at the scene, blocking both lanes of Tariq Road in protest. This resulted in a huge traffic jam as police reached to cordon off the area.

Police said that one group involved in the dispute had tried to take over the building, which was allegedly already occupied by another group. The situation escalated after a heated exchange, during which armed men in the building opened fire.

Those injured in the shooting claimed that they own warehouses in Freeport Building and had come to retrieve their belongings.

The injured alleged that a group, with the apparent support of police, was attempting to illegally take over their property. The police dispersed the crowd and traffic was restored.