SAHIWAL: The youth who was critically injured during the firing on the funeral prayers at Chak 89/EB of tehsil Arifwala on Friday expired at the District Headquarters Teaching (DHQ) Hospital here on Saturday.

The victim was identified as Muhammad Ahmed. His uncle, Abdul Haq, who the earlier reports had quoted as his friend, had already died on the spot during the firing on funeral prayers for Habibullah at village graveyard.

The initial investigations by the police said Habibullah of Joyia clan had died of heart attack on Thursday and during the funeral prayers for him, a man named Mubashir Hasan of Ansari clan also arrived.

He was a native of the village but he was settled in Lahore because of his rivalry with Chishti clan.

Seven booked for the attack, murder

Ahmed alias Mami of Chishti family was angry with Abdul Haq’s family over arrival of Mubashir in the funeral prayers. Eyewitness said that during the funeral prayers, seven men of the Chishti family rushed to graveyard and asked Haq why Mubashir was in the funeral prayers of his father.

The attackers pointed guns at Mubashir but Haq intercepted. Harsh words were exchanged between Haq and Ahmed alias Mami and the attackers opened fire.

Haq died on the spot while saving Mubashir and his nephew, Muhammad Ahmed, got critically injured.

Ahmed was shifted to THQ Hospital Arifwala and later brought to the DHQ Teaching Hospital in critical condition where he succumbed to his wounds.

Qabola police registered as murder case against seven nominated persons of Chishti clan on the complaint of Haq’s bother Abdul Shakoor.

Those booked included Ahmed, Ijaz Ahmed, Hasan, Muhammad Abbas, Muddasir, Tajamal Hussain and Karamat Ali.

Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2020