June 19, 2008	Thursday	Jamadi-us-Sani 14, 1429

GUJRAT, June 18: Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas Qamar Zaman Kaira said on Wednesday that the killing of three policemen in Kharian on June 15 was the result of a ‘misunderstanding’ and that the Kairas would apologise to the police and the aggrieved families over the incident.

Police have registered two FIRs against Kharian Tehsil Nazim Nadeem Asghar Kaira and Zaheer Asghar Kaira, the cousins of the federal minister, alleging that Nadeem and Zaheer, accompanied by their armed accomplices, were occupying a piece of land in Kharian when a police team reached there to stop them. Nadeem, Zaheer and their accomplices opened fire at the police, killing a policeman at the scene and injuring two others. The injured policemen also died the same day.

Speaking at a news conference at Dera Kaira in Lalamusa, Kaira said all out cooperation was being extended to the police investigation committee formed by the Punjab police inspector general and that the investigation report would be made public soon. He said people of his family were grieved at the killings and they would apologise to the aggrieved families.

He, however, said it was a “regrettable act that innocent people have been implicated in the case for their affiliation with the Pakistan People’s Party”. “Nadeem and Zaheer were not present at the scene,” the minister said.

He said his political rivals were trying to fight a personal war under the cover of political war.

Showing the deeds of property to reporters, the minister said the Kairas owned the land after the Kharian civil court gave a ruling in their favour in January 2007.

However, the police have not arrested any of the men nominated in the FIR.