PESHAWAR, Sept 8: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Monday dismissed a bail petition of five persons, including two sons of former provincial minister Bashir Umerzai, charged with a murder attempt on MPA Alamzeb Umerzai.

The attempt had left one person dead and two others injured.

According to a single bench comprising Justice Malik Hamid Saeed, the accused-petitioners were directly charged with an attempt of murder.

The petitioners included two sons of Bashir Umerzai, Mansoor and Shakeel, and three other relatives: Nasir Kamal, Masood and Riaz Khan.

On Feb 2, 2003, some persons opened fire on a Pajero jeep in which Alamzeb Umerzai, an MPA of PPP-Sherpao, his friend Ayaz Khan and two other persons were travelling in the jurisdiction of Umerzai police station. Ayaz Khan died in the incident whereas Alamzeb received minor injuries.

In the FIR, Alamzeb Umerzai had charged Bashir Umerzai and the five petitioners. He claimed that they had an old enmity. Bashir is absconding in the case.—Bureau