SWABI: Two friends were killed when unidentified assailants opened fire on them near their house in Zaida city on Wednesday, the police said.

SHO Zaida police station Asif Khan said they collected evidence from the crime scene and it seemed the friends were targeted under a well-planned strategy.

Gul Mast Khan, a resident of Zaida, while registering an FIR with the Zaida police station, said his 27-year-old son, Yousuf Khan left his house on Tuesday with his 30-year-old neighbour Yasir Khan.

“On the morning of Wednesday, they received information that the bodies of both the friends were lying in a street in Zaida city,” he told the police.

Local people shifted the bodies to Bacha Khan Teaching Hospital, Shahmansoor. The complainant said he along with Sher Aman, the father of the deceased Yasir, went to the hospital and identified the bodies.

“We have no enmity or ill-will towards anyone in the area,” he said. The police registered an FIR against unknown persons and started an investigation.

Meanwhile, the Kalu Khan police traced the blind murder of Syedul Islam, who belonged to Sheikh Jana village, by arresting four hired killers, including his brother and a nephew. They said the motorcycle and Kalashnikov used in the crime were also recovered.

On May 6, 2023, the plaintiff in the case, a widow of the deceased, had reported the murder of her husband by an unknown accused. Mohammad Islam, a brother of the deceased, hired contract killers for murdering his brother over a land dispute.

Published in Dawn, April 24th, 2025