SUKKUR: Over 20 armed men of Marri tribe attacked Hafiz Bilawal Hospital, at a short distance from Tangwani police station, with automatic rifles and iron rods on Saturday apparently over their ongoing dispute with rival Khoso tribe.

The attackers opened indiscriminate fire on the hospital before barging into the building and ransacking the hospital and an adjacent bakery. Two persons identified as Sher Khan Khoso, the hospital owner, and Illahi Bux Khoso suffered wounds in the firing.

The tribesmen escaped while firing in the air after the attack. Immediately afterwards, police reached there, gathered details about the incident and went after the attackers.

The town’s residents as well as political and civil society leaders visited the hospital and expressed solidarity with Sher Khan, who told reporters that the attackers might be members of an extortionist gang who had been demanding protection money for quite some time. When he refused to bow to them they attacked his hospital and bakery and also opened fire on him, he said.

Contrary to what Sher Khan said, it was learnt that the attack was an offshoot of an ongoing dispute involving karo-kari allegations between Marri and Khoso tribesmen.

Sources privy to the dispute said that notables of Tangwani town, led by Samoo Khan Malik and Shah Mohammad Khoso intervened in the dispute after the attack and persuaded the warring groups to make peace. They would hopefully agree to reconciliation within a few days, said the sources.

Meanwhile, Tangwani SHO led more than 10 police mobile vans to Marris’ village near the town and picked up 10 men after cordoning off their houses. However, no case of the attack was registered at the police station.

Published in Dawn, January 31st, 2021