Personal enmity: One killed, seven injured in attack on court premises in Mardan
K-P District Bar Association to boycott proceedings on Monday.
The incident occurred when Shergarh police brought a man, allegedly involved in triple murders, to the court to record statements of witnesses at around 9:30am. PHOTO: FILE
SHERGARH:
A lawyer’s munshi (clerk) was killed while seven others were injured when the court room of an additional and sessions judge in Takht Bhai tehsil, Mardan was attacked by armed men on Saturday.
The incident occurred when Shergarh police brought a man, allegedly involved in triple murders, to the court to record statements of witnesses at around 9:30am.
DPO Mardan Gul Afzal Khan said the police shifted the accused, Jan Muhammad, a resident of Musa Kallay, Shergarh to Additional and Sessions Judge Jamaluddin Khan’s court room over to his alleged involvement in killing a man along with his two sons over a personal dispute.
Eyewitness Fazal Maula told The Express Tribune he had come to the court to appear before the judge regarding a personal dispute when three gunmen opened fire at the people present there through a window.
“As the firing started, police officials at the court tried to hide and save themselves from the heavy firing,” he alleged, adding all three assailants escaped through the main gate of the Judicial Complex where there was no official to stop them.
After the incident, Rescue 1122 officials rushed towards the Judicial Complex and shifted the injured along with the deceased to Tehsil Headquarters Hospital, Takht Bhai. Heavy contingents of police also arrived at the complex, but the assailants managed to escape from the court premises.
The DPO also said more police officials would be deployed in the Judicial Complex to thwart such incidents in future.
According to Takht Bhai Police Inspector Haider Khan, initial investigation revealed the culprits are family members of those who Jan Muhammad had allegedly killed.
Haider said the deceased was identified as Advocate Khan’s assistant Abdur Rehman, while those injured are Amir Shoukat, Hussan Pari, Naib Qasid Salam, Muslim Shah, Zubair Shah, Afsar Ali, and Ansar Shah. After the incident, Jan Muhammad filed a complaint against his enemies Rahat Khan, Amani Mulk and Sadullah.
Jan Muhammad has been accused of killing Rahat’s two brothers and father Sardar Khan in early 2010. Inspector Haider said a raid on the houses of the accused assailants took place under his supervision, however, the assailants had managed to flee. “Complaints have been filed against them. The case has nothing to do with militancy and is a matter of rivalry between two groups,” said Haider.
After the incident, Advocate Qamar Zama Khan held a meeting with all the lawyers in the bar room and demanded the suspension of police officials on duty at the time.
Condemning the incident, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Bar Association along with District Bar Association also announced to boycott court proceedings on Monday.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 22nd, 2013.
A lawyer’s munshi (clerk) was killed while seven others were injured when the court room of an additional and sessions judge in Takht Bhai tehsil, Mardan was attacked by armed men on Saturday.
The incident occurred when Shergarh police brought a man, allegedly involved in triple murders, to the court to record statements of witnesses at around 9:30am.
DPO Mardan Gul Afzal Khan said the police shifted the accused, Jan Muhammad, a resident of Musa Kallay, Shergarh to Additional and Sessions Judge Jamaluddin Khan’s court room over to his alleged involvement in killing a man along with his two sons over a personal dispute.
Eyewitness Fazal Maula told The Express Tribune he had come to the court to appear before the judge regarding a personal dispute when three gunmen opened fire at the people present there through a window.
“As the firing started, police officials at the court tried to hide and save themselves from the heavy firing,” he alleged, adding all three assailants escaped through the main gate of the Judicial Complex where there was no official to stop them.
After the incident, Rescue 1122 officials rushed towards the Judicial Complex and shifted the injured along with the deceased to Tehsil Headquarters Hospital, Takht Bhai. Heavy contingents of police also arrived at the complex, but the assailants managed to escape from the court premises.
The DPO also said more police officials would be deployed in the Judicial Complex to thwart such incidents in future.
According to Takht Bhai Police Inspector Haider Khan, initial investigation revealed the culprits are family members of those who Jan Muhammad had allegedly killed.
Haider said the deceased was identified as Advocate Khan’s assistant Abdur Rehman, while those injured are Amir Shoukat, Hussan Pari, Naib Qasid Salam, Muslim Shah, Zubair Shah, Afsar Ali, and Ansar Shah. After the incident, Jan Muhammad filed a complaint against his enemies Rahat Khan, Amani Mulk and Sadullah.
Jan Muhammad has been accused of killing Rahat’s two brothers and father Sardar Khan in early 2010. Inspector Haider said a raid on the houses of the accused assailants took place under his supervision, however, the assailants had managed to flee. “Complaints have been filed against them. The case has nothing to do with militancy and is a matter of rivalry between two groups,” said Haider.
After the incident, Advocate Qamar Zama Khan held a meeting with all the lawyers in the bar room and demanded the suspension of police officials on duty at the time.
Condemning the incident, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Bar Association along with District Bar Association also announced to boycott court proceedings on Monday.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 22nd, 2013.