Old animosity: Businessman ambushed and killed by rival

KARACHI:

Three people were killed and two others injured when armed assailants ambushed a businessman in the outskirts of the metropolis on Saturday.

The incident occurred when businessman, Dr Abbas Ali Merchant, visited the cattle farm owned by Chaudhry Shabbir, at Bhains Colony, within the limits of Sukkan Police Station. The former had come to settle a long-standing dispute with Shabbir. According to a source, Merchant had been invited to lunch at the latter’s establishment for negotiations, where he went accompanied by his security guard, Sajjan. Both parties ran their own cattle farms and were associated with production of animal feed and diary business.

Even though the dispute was resolved amicably, said the source, Merchant and his guard were ambushed by Shabbir and his aides. Sajjan, however, opened fire in retaliation, as a result of which Shabbir’s cousin, Muhammad Hussain, was shot dead. Both Merchant and Sajjan lost their lives in the incident after sustaining multiple bullet wounds.

Following the incident, a large contingent of law enforcers reached the site. The police claimed to have arrested at least ten men in connection with the killings. The two groups have been colliding over an old monetary dispute related to their business, said Sukkan SHO Sarfaraz Gondal. “The clash occurred when Merchant went to the rival group’s cattle farm.”

This claim was, however, contradicted by the source who told The Express Tribune that the police was trying to protect Shabbir. Further, Merchant was only accompanied by his personal guard when he went to Shabbir’s cattle farm, he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 30^th, 2015.