DERA GHAZI KHAN, Nov 14: At least 30 members of the Mazari tribe took 22 policemen hostage on Friday and injured a constable before releasing them eight hours later on the intervention of Liaquat Mazari, brother of the deputy speaker of Punjab Assembly.

Sources said the police party, including Shahwali SHO Nazir Abbas, was on its way to Mauza Chiragh Shah in the riverine belt of Rajanpur district to arrest four persons in connection with a murder case, when they were intercepted by the Mazaris who thought that the police were going to raid their village.

The sources said the police opened fire to break the siege. The Mazaris returned fire. Constable Junaid Iqbal sustained bullet injuries and was shifted to the Rajanpur DHQ Hospital in critical condition.