SWABI: Two persons were killed and two others suffered injuries when rival groups clashed over a land dispute in Palodand village of Saleem Khan area here on Tuesday.

Police said that rivals attacked Sabaz Ali, son of Sahib Khan, while he was going home on a motorcycle near government primary school in Palodand, injuring him and two passers-by. Later Sabaz Ali succumbed to injuries, while the two injured identified as Abdul Khaliq and Imtiaz Khan were shifted to hospital.

Police said after the incident, members of Sahib Khan’s group shot dead rival, Hasham Khan, near Abu Banda.

They said a jirga was called to resolve the land dispute between the families of Hasham Khan and Sahib Khan, but members of the rival parties exchanged harsh words and left the jirga without arriving at a settlement. The jirga was held at the residence of Pakistan Muslim League-N leader Muqarab Khan.

When contacted, a jirga member said the meeting was dispersed after the two groups exchanged verbal brawls and tried to attack each other.

Khaisur Rehman, member of Sahib Khan’s family, registered an FIR against Sher Afsar Khan and Musa Khan of the Hasham Khan group. Police said Hasham’s family had not yet registered a case into the incident.

Published in Dawn, August 6th, 2014