LAHORE, Jan 5: A former banned outfit’s activist and guard were killed and as many injured on Thursday when some gunmen ambushed their car near Karol Ghatti on Bund Road on Thursday, Gujjarpura police said.

Police quoting witnesses said Hafiz Tariq Moawia, of Bhaseen village in Batapur, was going to the district and sessions court on a car with his gunmen and a driver when some gunmen, believed to be part of his rival Butt group, opened indiscriminate fire on the moving car.

Tariq, 37, died instantly while his guards Shoaib Akram Khan, 24, and Saleem Illyas, 30, and driver Ashfaq Shah were injured and shifted to Mayo Hospital where Shoaib succumbed to his wounds. The fifth passenger, Irfan, escaped unhurt.

Tariq, who remained associated with a banned militant outfit, was going to the court in connection with the murder case of Arif Butt against him. Butt was killed in 2010. Tariq was arrested in the case and released on bail a few months ago.

Police investigation shows that both Butt and Tariq groups have been involved in criminal activities. Tariq developed enmities with the Ghurkis and Sohail Butt.

Batapur Deputy Superintendent of Police Iqbal Husain told Dawn the enmity between Tariq and Butt groups began in 1992. Two months ago, Shafaqat Butt was murdered. He said though police had arrested all suspects in the latest murder case, Tariq had no direct hand in the murder.

Police shifted the bodies to morgue for autopsy and raided the residences and outhouses of Butt group members. Police had not registered any case till our going into the press.

Inspector General of Police Javed Iqbal recently took notice of killings in enmities.

In a letter issued to all police regions, he showed his reservations on the slow disposal of feud cases and asked field police officers to submit record of such cases to his office. He asked his subordinates to mediate between such parties.GUNNED DOWN: A 35-year-old man was gunned down by unidentified people in Mehmood Booti locality on Thursday, Harbanspura police said.

Two unidentified people knocked at the door of Abdul Hafeez, of Shah Din Park. When he came out, they shot him dead and fled.

Quoting the victim’s family, police said Hafeez was killed at the behest of Irfan, who is in jail in connection with a case involving the deceased. Irfan had shot at and injured Hafeez some time ago over a love affair issue. The family informed the police that Irfan was also hurling threats on Hafeez from the jail.

Police began investigation.