KURRAM: Eight people were killed and 11 other injured when two groups clashed over a land dispute in Kurram tribal district on Thursday, police said.

Three of the wounded persons were stated to be in critical condition.

Police said that residents of Sherjan Kallay and Sago Kallay had a dispute over the ownership of shamilat or joint community land in lower subdivision of Kurram district.

According to reports, rival groups came across each other in the morning and exchanged hot words, which resulted in an armed clash. Residents of both the villages resorted to heavy firing and six people died on the spot while 13 others sustained bullet injuries.

Two injured people were pronounced dead at the DHQ hospital in Parachinar. The hospital’s deputy medical superintendent Dr Mumtaz Hussain said three of the wounded persons were in critical condition.

The deceased have been identified as Miqdad Hussain, Istiqlal Hussain, Syed Abid, Syed Imdad, Ali Hassan, Qaiser Hussain, Ali Nabi and Shaukat Hussain.

Local elders expressed concern over the loss of lives in the incident and said that despite tension the police and district administration did not take prompt action to avoid the bloodbath.

A community leader Agha Muzamil Hussain said disputes among the tribes over ownership of shamilat land had become a routine that caused law and order situation in the area.

He urged the chief minister to take steps for resolution of land disputes among the tribes.

Published in Dawn, August 27th, 2021