TOBA TEK SINGH: The over-three-decade-old enmity between the families of late lawmaker Chaudhry Ilyas Jatt and former MNA Amjad Warraich, which ended after the death of the former in 2015, was reignited following an alleged attempt on the life of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) MPA Bilal Asghar Warraich in which one of his aides was murdered in the wee hours of Monday in Gojra.

In the last 30 years, dozens of people from both groups had been killed, including Amjad Warraich’s father and former MPA Ali Asghar Warraich and brother Haq Nawaz Warraich.

The late Ilyas Jatt had left his native village Chak 364-JB (Gojra) and settled in Chak 66-JB Dhandra near Faisalabad.

The murder case of MPA Bilal’s close aide has been registered against Ilyas Jatt’s nephews — his brother’s son Abdul Rehman Jatt and sister’s son Ahmad Nawaz — of Chak 364-JB Gojra on charges of abetment.

The first information report (FIR) registered on Monday on the complaint of Umer Jatt of Chak 364-JB stated that his brother Umair was visiting Bilal when suspect Haider Ali Gujjar of Chak 294-GB entered and asked for both Bilal and Umair. MPA Bilal had left the room only a few minutes ago and as soon as Haider saw Umair he opened fire on him with a Kalashnikov.

Resultantly, Umair received 11 bullets and died instantly. The FIR further stated that Haider had killed Umair on the directions of Abdul Rehman Jatt, Ahmad Nawaz, Shahbaz Wahla and Qaiser Aziz of Gojra.

MPA Bilal told reporters that the suspect had come to kill him as part of a plan of his opponents, however he luckily survived, but lost his close friend Umair Jatt.

Deputy Commissioner Mian Mohsin Rashid and Toba Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Shoaib Memon visited the MPA’s house. ASP Memon told the media that deceased Umair had killed his maternal uncle two years ago and was residing in the MPA’s house. The suspect Haider was also involved in the murder of a member of his clan in Toba and was a frequent visitor at the MPA’s house recently, but had disappeared three days ago. Suddenly, he returned in the wee hours of Monday and killed Umair.

He added that MPA Bilal had earlier apprised police about an expected attack on his life and police were alert outside his house for the last few days. But unexpectedly Haider, a frequent visitor, eventually killed Umair.

The ASP claimed raids were being conducted to arrest the suspect and his accomplices.

Meanwhile, Faisalabad Regional Police Officer Ghulam Mahmood Dogar and District Police Officer Sadiq Ali Dogar also visited the MPA’s house and inspected the room where Umair Jatt had been killed. They also assured the MPA that the culprits would be arrested at the earliest.

Published in Dawn, April 2nd, 2019