ISLAMABAD: A police official was martyred while two persons sustained bullet injuries in an encounter between the police and gunmen on Saturday, police said.

Officers of the police said there was a business rivalry and family dispute between the groups of Sher Khan and Adam Khan, who were also relatives. Both the groups resided in Bhara Kahu.

Sher Khan along with others allegedly attacked the Dera of Adam Khan, 50, located in Spring Valley and beat his son Shaista Khan, 25, and later shot and injured him.

At the time of the attack, Adam Khan was in Naiabadi. After getting information, he reached the Bhara Kahu police station to lodge a complaint.

Incident occurred after gunmen attacked their rival in front of Bhara Kahu police station and tried to escape

Sher Khan along with his accomplices in a Honda Civic while passing by the police station spotted Adam Khan in front of the police station and opened fire on him. As a result, Adam Khan was critically injured.

In the meantime, Sub-Inspector (SI) Liaquat Ali was coming out of the police station after completing his night duty when he found the injured lying on the road and the attackers fleeing in their car.

The SI took the police guard deployed at the gate along with him and chased the Civic in another car. However, the SI got stuck in a traffic jam near a chowk while heading towards Murree Road. Later, they reached Murree Road on foot and asked the driver of a passenger pick-up to help them in chasing the car.

They succeeded to stop the Civic by opening fire on it near a restaurant on Murree Road, the officers said. Due to the firing, the driver lost control and the car hit the road divider.

Two persons then disembarked from the car and opened indiscriminate fire on the policemen, the officers said.

The police officials retaliated and during the cross fire, SI Ali, Sher Khan and a passerby, identified as Toheed Zubair, 13, who was working at the restaurant, sustained bullet injuries.

The other rider of the car managed to escape. After getting information, police reached the spot and shifted all the three injured to hospital where SI Ali was pronounced dead.

The two other injured were operated upon and kept in the hospital. Adam Khan and his son were also brought to the hospital.

The police impounded the Honda Civic used by the gunmen and during search the uniform of a constable was recovered from it, the officers said. Details of the car revealed that it was owned by a constable posted at the Karachi Company police station.

In response, the constable was detained for an investigation.

The funeral prayer of the SI was offered at the Police Lines Headquarters. The martyr left behind a son and three daughters.

Senior Superintendent of Police (Operations) Mohammad Faisal, when contacted, said both the groups owned excavators and worked as diggers for construction purposes.

They frequently attacked each other, he added.

A month ago, elders had intervened and reconciled the groups, the SSP said, adding the main dispute between them was related to their business.

About the car used in the attack, the SSP said the constable had purchased the car a few days ago and gave it to Sher Khan for polishing.

The constable had been asking for his car but Sher Khan kept it on one pretext or the other and used it in attacking his rival, the SSP said.

The role of the constable was checked and investigated but he was found clear of any suspicious activity.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2022