KARACHI: Police on Friday arrested a man and his son for allegedly injuring a member of the Sindh Assembly belonging to the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf over a water dispute in Timber Market area, officials said.

They said PTI MPA Ramzan Ghanchi, 55, suffered a bullet wound late on Thursday night following a dispute over laying of a water line.

“The Napier police registered a case and arrested Suleman Soomro and his son Shahnawaz,” said City SSP Muqaddas Haider.

A third suspect, Ali Soomro, another son of Suleman and vice chairman of the area’s union committee, managed to escape and efforts were under way to arrest him, he added.

He said that Ali Soomro appeared to be the main suspect who allegedly fired at the lawmaker with his 9mm pistol.

“A scuffle [broke out] between the legislator and the suspects over laying of a water line in the area,” the SSP said. Investigators collected two spent bullet casings and a live bullet from the crime scene.

Napier SHO Azam Khan, who was suspended after the incident, said the firing incident took place after an exchange of hot words between Ali and the legislator.

He said that the legislator wanted a connection from the main pipeline, which the suspects opposed as the PTI leader did not have permission from the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board.

However, the lawmaker in his statement told the police that he went there as the suspects were “illegally” laying a water line.

Mr Ghanchi sustained a bullet wound in the leg and was admitted for treatment at the Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi.

Published in Dawn, January 26th, 2019