GWADAR: Five people were killed in a clash between two groups of suspected drug smugglers in the Zamran area of Kech district on Friday.

Official sources said both the groups exchanged fire using automatic weapons. The clash continued for about one hour, resulting in the killing of five people on the spot, the sources added.

They said all the victims belonged to Panjgur district.

Levies and Frontier Corps personnel reached the area after the clash and shifted the bodies to Turbat district hospital. Three of the victims were identified as Mohammad Ismail, Shah Dad and Mohammad Nawaz.

“The bloody armed clash took place between two groups of smugglers,” Kech Deputy Commissioner retired Major Bashir Ahmed said.

The sources said that a dispute over the looting of drugs of one of the groups had led to the clash.

Earlier, several such clashes had taken place in the area that resulted in the killing of many drug smugglers.

Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2019