GUJRAT, June 7: As many as 45 proclaimed offenders of different rival groups, including the one which murdered former Punjab law minister Chaudhry Farooq, surrendered before the DPO on Monday. They now pledge to bury the hatchet after their pre-arrest bails by the district and sessions judge.

The rival groups are learnt to have reconciled after being motivated by MNA Chaudhry Wajahat Husain, the younger brother of former prime minister Chaudhry Shujaat Husain.

DPO Raja Munawar Husain told journalists at a press conference at the district council rest house that these POs of A category were wanted by the Kharian circle police, especially the Sarai Alamgir police, in 55 murder and several attempted-murder cases.

SP Investigation Malik Tahir Mahmood, Kharian DSP Imtiaz Bhali, City DSP Mahmoodul Hassan Qureshi and Saddar DSP Alhaj Riaz Cheema were also present.

He said the POs belonged to Thala, Sang, Banian, Leharri, Mandial and Nali groups. He said the main rivalry was among Younas Phana group of Thala village and Aziz group of Sang village, which started in 1960. Top political figure Chaudhry Farooq fell a victim to the simmering enmity.

The rivalry started with the murder of Ashraf in Thala in 1960. Later, group leaders — Aziz of Sang group and Younas Phana of Thala group — were also murdered.

It is pertinent to mention that the Thala group suspected that former law minister Chaudhry Farooq was involved in the murder of their boss, Younas Phana, a charged denied by Mr Farooq. The minister was murdered along with five associates by Phana group near Dandi Dara in December 2002. The DPO said the POs had obtained pre-arrest bails from the court of district and sessions judge Ali Hassan Rizvi till June 23.

The judge has directed the POs to join investigation. The DPO said the police would now conduct re-investigation of the murder and attempted murder cases. He said these POs were not involved in any other criminal cases like dacoity, robbery, abduction for ransom or rape.

He said their 30 more accomplices, who are also Pos of the same category, would also soon surrender before the police.

Gulzar alias Gula and Chaudhry Sardar Ali, besides other POs were also present.