October 28, 2001	Sunday	Shaba'an 10, 1422

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GUJRAT, Oct 27: Tehsil Nazim Chaudhry Ghulam Sarwar Bhooch sustained bullet wounds while his driver, gunman and one of the assailants were killed in an ambush on Sargodha road near GTS Chowk on Saturday afternoon.

The assailant was reportedly caught in the firing of his accomplices.

Several passers-by, including two women and a minor, also received injuries due to indiscriminate firing by the culprits.

Besides the tehsil nazim, the injured include his companions Shaukat Ali, Abdul Hameed, Yaseen, Mazhar Hussain and seven passers-by Ghulam Abbass, Younus, Farah Naz, Hafiza, Talha Arsalaan and Manzoor. All of them were removed to the DHQ hospital. Condition of Mr Bhooch is stated to be stable.

Reports say that he, along with his friends, was coming back from mohallah Khalidabad after hearing grievances of the people of his area. The attackers, who were believed to be 10 in number and armed with sophisticated weapons, stopped them near GTS Chowk and opened fire on Mr Bhooch and his companions before they escaped.

His driver Sher Muhammad and gunman Farhat Shah died instantly.

Police sources told Dawn that the slain killer Ihsan of Bhangranwala was a PO in several murder cases and was the main culprit in the Bhangranwala incident in which six Muslim Leaguers were shot dead a month ago. Police further claimed that it recovered a LMG and a Klashnikov from an abandoned vehicle (LFZ 9937) which was presumably used by them.

No police official was ready to comment on the identity of the murderers who were believed to be sent by rivals of Mr Bhooch.