GUJRAT: A man was gunned down and his brother critically injured by their rival group near Pindi Sultanpur village in the Kharian Sadar police precincts on Monday.

Police said brothers Muhammad Asif and Rasib Hussain were attacked while on their way to the Kharian sessions court for a hearing related to a case. Asif died on the spot, while his brother sustained critical bullet wounds.

Police and Rescue 1122 officials arrived at the scene and shifted the injured and deceased to Kharian Tehsil Headquarter Hospital. Doctors later conducted an autopsy and handed Asif’s body over to his family. Police have launched an investigation into the incident.

This marks the third consecutive murder in Kharian tehsil over the past two days. On Saturday morning, four family members were gunned down in an ambush, and a member of the Ahmadiyya community was killed in a targeted attack at a dental clinic in Alipur village near Lalamusa. However, police have yet to arrest any suspects involved in these incidents.

MISSING: An 18-year-old youth is feared drowned in a stormwater channel along Kharian Road near the Jalalpur Jattan vegetable and fruit market. The youth attempted to cross the channel on foot on Monday.

Rescue 1122 officials said the operation to recover the youth is ongoing.

In another incident, a 20-year-old youth is missing in the Chenab River. He jumped into the Chenab River near Shahbazpur Bridge. Rescue and police teams are working to find the youth. Police found a motorbike and shoes belonging to the youth along the river.

Also, a Kharian-based journalist, Liaqat Ali Qadari, was killed in a road accident near Karariwala village in the Dinga Police precincts on Monday. Qadari was travelling on his motorcycle when another speeding motorcyclist collided with him, causing him to fall on an under-construction road. He sustained a critical head injury after striking road stones.

Reports said he was taken to a nearby hospital where he later died. Qadari was the vice president of the Kharian Press Club and a known social worker.

Published in Dawn, July 30th, 2024