KARAK: A clash between rival groups over a land dispute claimed lives of a man and his two sons in Rustam area of Banda Daud Shah tehsil here on Tuesday.

Police officials said the groups traded heavy fire, as a result, Mohammad Shafique and his two sons identified as Mohammad Asim and Mohammad Aashiq sustained critical injuries.

They were shifted to the tehsil headquarters hospital, where they succumbed to injuries.

Khalid Hussain, a member of the rival group, also received injuries. However, his condition is stated to be stable.

The police registered an FIR of the incident and started further investigations.

Separately, three persons were killed in a road accident on Indus Highway near Nashpa oil and gas fields.

Police officials said a car and a trailer collided head-on, which resulted into critical injuries to three persons travelling in the car.

The injured were rushed to the District Headquarters Hospital, Karak, where they expired. The victims also included a Counter-Terrorism Department official namely Aamir Sohail.

The bodies were sent to their homes in Bannu.

Police registered an FIR against the trailer’s driver, who managed to escape the scene.

Also on Tuesday, local people clashed with personnel of Frontier Constabulary after the former refused to allow the SNGPL officials to disconnect illegal gas connections.

Police officials said the SNGPL officials accompanied by FC personnel had launched an operation against illegal gas connections the people of Tappi Kanda area had taken from the main line leading to DI Khan and other parts of the country.

The clash occurred when the locals tried to restore the connections the SNGPL teams had disconnected.

Gunshots were also fired during the melee, but no loss of life was reported.

Later, the FC personnel got the situation under control by dispersing the protesters.

Published in Dawn, May 19th, 2021