KARACHI: Five people were killed and three others were critically injured on Thursday night as a result of a shootout in Karachi’s Defence Housing Authority (DHA), police said.

Police and rescue officials said that members of the Bugti clan had a fight over some personal enmity, which led to an exchange of fire.

DIG South Syed Asad Raza told Dawn that two groups, led by Fahad Bugti and Ali Haider Bugti, engaged in gunfight near the latter’s residence on Khayaban-i-Nishat.

Among the dead was Fa­­had Ahmed Nawaz Bugti, 50, a nephew of slain Balo­­ch chieftain, Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti.

Ali Haider Bugti, who is among those critically inj­u­­red, is also a maternal ne­p­hew of the Bugti chieftain.

The DIG said that police have eight suspects in custody, who have been shif­ted to different police stations in district South.

According to the DIG South, both factions of the Bugti clan had old enmity, as they had lodged first information reports (FIRs) against each other at the Sahil and Darakhshan police stations.

He told Dawn that it appeared as if the two men exchanged hot words over the phone before Ali Haider Bugti descended on Fahad’s residence along with his gunmen.

Taking notice of the incident, Home Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar has sought a report from the additional inspector-general of police for Karachi.

The minister said no one was above the law and every step should be taken to establish its writ.

He also ordered strict legal action against the persons involved in the violent clash.

“No one would be allowed to spoil the peace in the metropolis,” decla­red the minister.

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2024