11 killed as PPP, PML-F workers clash during local bodies election in Khairpur

Heavy contingent of police and Pakistan Army has reached the site and controlled the violent situation

SUKKUR: At least 11 people were killed on Saturday in firing as a clash broke out between two political groups during the local bodies’ election in Ranipur Town, Khairpur.

The clash also left eight people injured.

Polling was suspended immediately after the incident, as the clashing groups expanded in size.



According to reports, a small scuffle between Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) during the elections broke into a violent clash.

A heavy contingent of the police and Pakistan Army reached the site and have managed to control the situation.

"The two groups belonging to the PPP, which rules Sindh province, and the PML-F, headed by a famous spiritual leader Pir Sahab Pagara, clashed with each other just an hour before the end of polling time," local police official Pir Muhammad Shah told AFP.

Shah said army troops have been deployed in the area to bring the situation under control.

A senior local official, Munawar Mitthani also confirmed the incident and casualties.

No arrests have been made so far.

Meanwhile, Inspector General Sindh Police Ghulam Hyder Jamali has constituted a three-member committee, headed by Additional IGCTD Dr Sanaullah Abbasi, to investigate the firing incident and look into the causes that led to the deaths of 11 people.

SSP Khairpur and SSP Sukkur are among the members of the committee formed.

The committee has been directed to conduct a thorough investigation and submit a report immediately afterwards.

In a separate incident, at least three people were injured in a firing incident near Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah residence, Express News reported.

According to reports, unidentified people opened fire on Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf (PTI) rally after which the PTI workers blocked a nearby road and protested against the incident.

Eight districts of upper Sindh comprising 4,618,512 voters headed out to vote for their local representatives on. The polling started at 7:30am and ended at 5:30pm.

Due to tense relations between some rival candidates, law enforcers had been deployed in sensitive areas. Naro and Kingri areas in Khairpur Mirs were declared highly sensitive due to the rivalry between Pir Pagara and Ghous Ali Shah. “Naro and Kingri will be the only areas where the army will be deployed inside the polling station,” Sindh Home Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal told The Express Tribune.

However, local government minister Nasir Hussain Shah had clarified that the government only recommended army deployment in these areas of Khairpur Mirs but the army troops will only be available on standby.