March, 22 2005	Tuesday	11 Safar 1426

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MULTAN, March 21: Vehari police arrested former provincial minister and PML-N leader Hafiz Iqbal Khakwani on Monday for his alleged involvement in the murder of three people over a land dispute. Police arrested him from his house in Kotla Toley Khan locality of the Multan city. It is learnt that the Joya and the Khakwani clans had a dispute over a piece of agricultural land in Mustafabad village in the precinct of Ludan police station. The matter was sub judice. The disputed land was, however, under possession of the Joya clan.

On Feb 24, the Multan bench of the Lahore High Court disposed of the matter in favour of Salahuddin Khakwani. The Khakwanis took over possession of the land on March 4 allegedly in aid with police and the revenue department staff.

The Joyas filed a review petition and a division bench of the high court suspended orders of the single bench on March 17 and issued notices to the stakeholders for March 31.

However, the rival groups engaged on Saturday last in a violent clash that claimed lives of two Joya clansmen and a passerby. Altaf Joya lodged an FIR with the Ludan police against Salahuddin Khakwani and his 16 accomplices besides accusing Iqbal Khakwani of abetment.

The complainant claimed that he had come to see Iqbal Khakwani on March 18 at his Multan residence to show him the order of the division bench and urged him to wait for the final decision before his next course of action about possession of the disputed land.

He said Iqbal Khakwani hurled threats saying he had told Salahuddin to maintain possession (of the disputed land) even if he had to take lives of 10 people.

The Ludan police have yet to arrest Salahuddin Khakwani, although they claimed to have arrested a dozen of people in connection with the triple murder incident.

Meanwhile, local leaders of the PML-N, including the members of national and provincial assemblies held a news conference and termed the arrest of Iqbal Khakwani as political victimization.

They also staged a protest demonstration outside the house of Iqbal Khakwani and demanded his immediate release.