August 06, 2006	Sunday	Rajab 10, 1427

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MUZAFFARABAD, Aug 5: Situation in Bhimber district of Azad Jammu and Kashmir turned tense on Friday after a police raid at the residence of ruling Muslim Conference leader and former works minister Chaudhry Tariq Farooq.

A police party led by an ASP arrested six supporters of Mr Farooq, two of them from his residence in Bhimber, following the Thursday night raid in the wake of a brawl between the supporters and opponents of the former minister earlier in the day.

Witnesses said that Rehmat Khan and Mohammad Khan, supporters of Mr Farooq and his electoral rival MLA Chaudhry Anwaar ul Haq, respectively, had been locked in a land dispute which led to a serious clash between them on Thursday afternoon.

During the clash, both sides resorted to firing and used batons and clubs against each other in which three persons from each side were injured.

However, police registered a case on the complaint of the former minister’s rivals although they had received minor injuries as compared to his supporters, one of whom had sustained a gunshot.

Mr Farooq told Dawn that instead of handling the case fairly, police arrested his supporters, including his two guests, “perhaps to settle some old score with me.” He said police also registered a case against him, his two brothers, brother in law and 25 supporters.

Interestingly, Mr Farooq, who is being tipped as adviser to the prime minister, was in Islamabad when the brawl and subsequent raid on his residence took place.

Police claimed having recovered AK-47 assault rifles from the detainees.

Mr Farooq said he had spoken to the prime minister over telephone and informed him of the “highhandedness” of police.

“I have never faced such a situation, not even during the days when the region was being ruled by our opponent Barrister Sultan Mahmood,” he said, adding that the premier had assured him of strict action against the culpable officials.