Six of a family shot dead in Nawabshah ambush

Police cite old feud within Bhungwar community for sextuple murder

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NAWABSHAH:

Six members of the same family were killed when gunmen ambushed them near Qainchi Pull Gujarwah in Nawabshah on Thursday morning. The victims – belonging to the Bhungwar community – were en route to a local court for a hearing related to a decade-old murder case when they were attacked.

The victims were riding motorcycles when armed assailants opened fire, killing all six on the spot, according to local police. The attackers fled the scene after the deadly assault. Police and rescuers shifted the bodies to Peoples Medical College and Hospital for post-mortem examinations before handing them over to the families for burial.

SSP Shabbir Sethar confirmed that the sextuple murder was the result of an old feud within the Bhungwar tribe. He identified the deceased as Shehbaz, Taj, Habdar, and Rajab Ali – all sons of Ghulam Mustafa Bhungwar – along with Qurban Ali and Farman Ali, sons of Shah Ali Bhungwar. All victims were residents of Goth Ishaq Bhungwar.

Police said seven suspects, including the prime accused, Ismail Bhungwar, have been arrested in connection with the deadly ambush. Authorities subsequently demolished the suspects’ houses using bulldozers as part of punitive measures. A case has been registered, and investigations are underway.

Sources revealed that the incident is linked to a 2010 murder case in which the deceased had been accused of killing three men, including the father of the prime suspect. The victims had been out on bail and were en route to a hearing related to that case when they were attacked.

Funerals for the six victims were held in their ancestral village, Goth Ishaq Bhungwar, and were attended by hundreds of mourners, including PPP MPA Javed Chaudhry, PPP’s district president Saleem Zardari, and senior police officials.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari expressed deep sorrow over the incident, while Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah sought a report from the provincial police chief. He directed that those involved be brought to justice without delay.