GUJRAT, Jan 5: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) of Gujranwala issued warrants for the arrest of nine nominated accused who killed three expatriates in Lalamusa over a minor dispute a month ago, it is learnt.

As many as 15 men had shot dead Chaudhry Munawwar Dhola and his sons Ghulam Hur Dhola and Qasim Dhola on GT Road in Lalamusa on Dec 5 last year. The three slain were citizens of the UK.

Lalamusa city police had registered a case against Waqar Haider Shah, Amir Abbas (alias Meeray Shah), Naeem Shah (alias Naeemi), Ashfaq (alias Shaqi) of Gandhra, Amir Lohar, Mukhtiar, Mustansar, Rauf and Zafar besides six unidentified men on the complaint of Chaudhry Yasir Dhola who is a son of Munawwar.

Yasir had nominated Waqar Haider, alias Qari Shah, as the principal accused. Waqar is a son of former district Naib Nazim Syed Noorul Hasan Shah and a nephew of former MNA Syed Manzoor Shah of the PML-Q. The other nominated accused are also connected with the same party.

Sources told Dawn on Monday that nominated accused Ashfaq alias Shaqi was picked up by the police the same night when the FIR was lodged. He was later released and absolved from the murder charge by the Lalamusa city police when he 'proved' that he was not present at the scene of the crime, sources said.

Yasir did not lodge any complaint with the authorities regarding release of Ashfaq. Another member of the slain Dholas had stated in a complaint lodged with the UK government that his three relatives had been murdered by some men of the ruling party in Pakistan but the police were reluctant in arresting the killers because of political pressure.

The UK embassy has requested the Pakistan's foreign office to ensure the arrest of the accused without any discrimination. MNA Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain recently visited Yasir to offer hid condolences over the murder of Dholas.

The younger brother of PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain assured Yasir that killers of his father and brothers would be arrested soon. He also directed the city police to arrest the killers without any discrimination.

The city police picked up Mohsin Shah for interrogation the same night. Mohsin is an uncle of principal accused Waqar Haider. The police released him after 24 hours. However, the city police could not arrest the nominated accused after the passage of one month.A Gujranwala ATC judge had issued warrants for the arrest of the nominated accused with the direction to Lalamusa city police to include the section of Anti Terrorism Act in the FIR which had been lodged under sections 302, 148 and 149 of the PPC.

City SHO Nasir Cheema told Dawn on Monday that they all the accused men would be arrested soon.About the release of Shaqi, the SHO said that the accused had proved his innocence and could be re-arrested if needed as the ATC has also issued his warrants.