ISLAMABAD, Nov 1: A member of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly was beaten and injured by a group of armed men when he was walking in a park at F-7/3 along with a retired naval officer on Thursday.

Police said the attackers, who were working at a kiosk in the park, intercepted Wajihuz Zaman, an MPA of the PML-Q from Mansehra, when he was in the park along with Vice Admiral (retired) Ahmed Tasnim.

It may be noted that on a petition of Vice Admiral (retired) Tasnim, the Islamabad High Court on Wednesday directed the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to remove within two days the kiosk illegally set up in the park allegedly by a brother of Interior Minister Rehman Malik. According to the petition, the tuck shop (kiosk) was established by M/s Moon Star Khalid, a company owned by Khalid Malik, the minister’s brother, who later sold it to Mohammad Zaheer.

While issuing the directive to the CDA, Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui of the IHC observed: “A common perception about this tuck shop is that the transfer in the name of Zaheer was in fact benami (fictitious) and business is being carried out by Khalid Malik.”

The police said the group of people raised objection over the petition against the kiosk and entered into heated arguments with the MPA and the retired vice admiral, which led to a scuffle.

Some of the people also resorted to firing into the air before escaping from the scene, the police said.

Later, the injured and the retired vice admiral along with Advocate Waqas Malik reached the Kohsar police station and lodged a complaint against the attackers. Mr Malik, when contacted by Dawn, said the attackers included the interior minister’s brother and his employees.

“They injured MPA Zaman with a sharp-edged weapon. We are waiting for the police action but the police are reluctant to register an FIR,” he added.

He claimed that the SHO Kohsar was called to Khalid Malik’s house where he remained for hours. “It seems that he has been detained in Khalid Malik’s house,” he added.

A senior police officer on the condition of anonymity told Dawn that Khalid Malik was not among the attackers. However, he said employees and staff of the kiosk, numbering over eight, had attacked the MPA.

On the other hand, Malik Mehmood Hussain, one of the kiosk staff, also lodged a complaint with the police against the MPA accusing him of opening fire on them, the police officer added.

Despite repeated attempts, Khalid Malik was not available for comments.

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Rehman Malik has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident. The deputy commissioner Islamabad has been directed to submit a report in this regard. The minister also ordered the police to conduct an inquiry into the matter.