KARACHI: A man was shot dead and seven others were wounded when two groups clashed with each other during a ‘jirga’ to settle a dispute arising out fighting among their children in Quaidabad on Friday, police said.

The deceased was identified as 45-year-old Zulfiqar while the wounded were Ammar Shujaat, 24, Sajid, 22, Wajahat, 30, Mohammed Azam, 30, Asim, 21, Asmat, 18, and Abrar, 45.

Malir SSP Kashif Abbasi said the incident, which occurred near Bismillah Hotel, triggered fear and panic among the residents after which contingents of the police rushed to the spot to prevent the situation from deteriorating further and arrested seven suspects.

The body and wounded were shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) and the Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK).

Police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed said that the deceased, Zulfiqar, had sustained bullet wounds on his head and chest. She said that among the three wounded persons brought to the JPMC, Sajid was serious as he had sustained a gunshot wound on his chest. Wounded Wajahat was shifted to the Aga Khan University Hospital while Ammar’s condition was stable, she added.

The police surgeon further said that four wounded persons were brought to the CHK and among them Azam had suffered multiple firearm injuries and his condition was also critical. She added that Asim had also suffered multiple gunshot wounds but he was out of danger.

About the reasons that led to the violent clash, Shah Latif Town SHO Arshad Awan said that the ‘elders’ of two groups had gathered to hold a jirga to settle a dispute arising out of a fight among the ‘boys’ of the two sides that occurred the other day. However, a heated arguments took place between them after which both sides resorted to firing on each other, the officer added.

Meanwhile, area people said that among the injured were close relatives of Shaukat Rabbani, a local leader of Jamaat-i-Islami (JI). Mr Rabbani, who originally hails from Hazara, had a “bloody” clash with another group in the same locality, the residents said.

Talking to Dawn, Mr Rabbani said that he was in Lahore when the incident occurred. He said among the injured were his two nephews while the deceased was their friend. He alleged that members of a “known gang” named “Papi Group” had attacked his relatives and added that the gang had an old enmity with them. However, he said the incident had nothing to with his religious or political affiliation.

Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2025