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Two shopkeepers killed, as many passers-by injured in groups clash in Gujrat
[DAWN] GUJRAT: Two shopkeepers were killed on Sunday and as many passersby, including a woman, sustained bullet injuries allegedly when armed men of two local politicians (who happen to be brothers) belonging to rival parties — PML-Q and PML-N — exchanged fire in Kotla Bazaar in Kakrali police precincts over rent collection.The rival groups are being respectively headed by Naeem Raza Kotla of the PML-Q and MNA Abid Raza Kotla of the PML-N who have a history of political and family rivalry spanning over the past 12 years. The fresh clash, according to police and local sources, erupted over collection of monthly rent of some shops owned by the Kotla family located in the main bazaar of Kotla Town. They said the clash triggered when armed men of PML Q’s Naeem Raza, also a former advisor to the Punjab chief minister (in 2002), demanded the rent from some shopkeepers doing business in the Kotla family’s market. Meanwhile, armed men of MNA Abid Raza of PML-N also reached there, and challenged their rivals. In the ensuing exchange of fire between the rival groups, two brothers --Shahzad Ahmed and Ijaz Ahmed — belonging to Saddowal village, who ran a tailoring shop in the same market, sustained bullet injuris. As a result, Shahzad died on the spot whereas Ijaz later succumbed to his critical injuries at the Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Teaching Hospital (ABSTH). However, none of the armed men resorting to crossfire were hurt in the incident. A passerby woman, Tazeem Bibi and an onlooker Zafar Iqbal were also injured in the crossfire. They too were shifted to the ABSTH where their condition was said to be stable. Superintendent of Police (investigation) Ghulam Mustafa Gillani and Kharian DSP Asad Ishaq heading a contingent reached the scene where homicide unit of the police collected evidence. Meanwhile, the families and relatives of the deceased brothers staged a protest demonstration by placing the bodies on the GT Road, against delay in registration of double murder case against the culprits, causing disruption in traffic. Following the protest, the police booked heads of the both groups — MNA Abid Raza and Naeem Raza on charges of double murder under sections 302, 324, 148 and 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) on the report of Javed Ahmed, the third brother of the deceased men. Related: PML-Q: 2019-01-27 Brick kiln owner tortured to death in police custody PML-Q: 2018-08-20 Usman Buzdar becomes Punjab chief minister PML-Q: 2018-07-31 Imran Khan says will take oath as premier on Aug 11 Related: PML-N: 2019-08-28 Long march call against govt receives cold response PML-N: 2019-08-20 Opposition parties hold multi-party conference on Maulana Fazlur Rehman's call PML-N: 2019-08-15 PML-N activist arrested, charged with sedition Related: Naeem Raza: 2019-05-26 Pakistani peacekeeper posthumously awarded UN medal for 'supreme sacrifice in the line of duty' Naeem Raza: 2015-10-08 Sunni Tehreek to file review Mumtaz Qadri petition Naeem Raza: 2010-07-05 Ulema unite to assail Data Darbar attack Related: Abid Raza: 2018-10-12 LHC sets aside death sentence handed to PML-N MNA Abid Raza, 3 others in murder case Abid Raza: 2015-11-30 Desecration case suspect on judicial remand Abid Raza: 2015-11-19 SC issues arrest warrants for PML-N lawmaker Posted by: Fred 2019-09-03 |
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