RAWALPINDI, Jan 5: Three persons, including a father and his son, were shot dead in a family feud outside their home near Punjab House here on Thursday, police said.

Mohammad Ashraf, his son Ghulam Mustafa and their relative Habib Khan were heading towards Marrir Chowk when their rivals blocked their way and opened fire on them. The three died on the spot, said the police.

Panic and fear gripped the surrounding areas as the gunshots rang out.

The younger son of the victim called the police for help; however, the attackers numbering six escaped before the police arrived.

Azeem Khan, the elder brother of Habib Khan, in his statement recorded with the Civil Lines police stated that he along with Arshad Mehmood was sitting at the corner of a street in the katchi abadi near Punjab House when he saw Ashraf, Ghulam Mustaf and Habib Khan coming towards their home.

He said as the three reached at the corner of a narrow street, Jehanzeb, his brother Khan Vaiz and some other persons carrying pistols blocked their way.

He said Jehanzeb and his brother were nephews of deceased Ashraf.

Azeem Khan said Jehanzeb shouted at Ashraf that he would teach him a lesson and then opened fire on him.

In the meanwhile, Dilawar targeted Ghulam Mustafa and Miskeen shot Habib Khan.

Fearing that the attackers might kill them, Azeem Khan and Arshad Mehmood did not try to intercept the attackers, who escaped after firing into the air.

The complainant said in his statement that all the attackers were carrying 30-bore pistols.

According to the police, the motive behind the triple murder was an old enmity between the two groups who belonged to the same family.

There had been a minor brawl between the groups some one-and-a-half years back but the issue was settled and a patch-up made between them.

The complainant nominated six persons in the FIR - Jehanzeb, his brother Khan Vaiz, Dilawar Khan, Miskeen, Ramzan and Babar.

Police said the bodies were handed over to their families after post-mortem.

According to the initial postmortem report, two of the victims suffered bullet injuries in their heads while the third was shot in the belly.

All the victims sustained three bullet injures each.