February 4, 2003	Tuesday	Zul Hijjah 2,1423

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PESHAWAR, Feb 3: Families of the former NWFP minister and ANP leader Bashir Khan Omerzai and three other accused have gone underground after an attempt on the life of Pakistan People’s Party (Sherpao) MPA Alamzeb Omerzai, official sources told Dawn on Monday.

Alamzeb Omerzai survived but his friend Ayaz Khan was killed and three others were injured on Sunday noon on Kuladand- Omerzai Road in Charsadda while on their way back from a wedding ceremony.

The MPA has nominated Bashir Omerzai, his two sons Mansoor and Shakeel, Riaz Khan, Masood Khan and Nasir Khan on the charges of murder and attempt to murder in the FIR.

“No arrest has been made so far despite several police raids on the houses of accused as all have gone  underground,” police chief of Charsadda, Sadiq Kamal told this correspondent on telephone.

“We have interrogated several persons of Omerzai to find clue to the whereabouts of all the accused, but still not succeeded in netting any of them,” the SP added.

Sadiq Kamal said both parties had a long dispute. “We have tried to reconcile their dispute in the past, but both the politicians were not willing to resolve their issues amicably,” he added.

“We are not involved in the attack on Alamzeb Omerzai and I express my grief on the death of Ayaz Khan,” said Bashir Khan while talking to this correspondent on telephone from an unknown place.

He alleged that PPP(S) wanted to keep him busy in litigations since 1988, with a purpose to sideline him from politics. “But they cannot browbeat me through a foul play,” he added.

He said the deceased Ayaz Khan was in debt of more than Rs eight million as he was doing a business of tractors. “I think that someone among them may have attacked the car of Alamzeb,” he opined.

The ex-minister demanded of the government to initiate a judicial inquiry into the attack.

Meanwhile, the PPP(S) has condemned the attack on  Alamzeb Omerzai, a party stalwart and member of NWFP Assembly, said a press statement issued here on Monday.

A spokesman for PPP(S) termed the attack a cowardly act and said despite repeated warnings to the local police and the provincial administration, they failed to provide security to the MPA.

He said such an ugly incident took place in a broad daylight and within the densely populated area, which was enough proof of the police failure. The spokesman demanded of the government to form an investigation committee into the incident.