HYDERABAD: A heavy contingent of police remained deployed in Pathan Goth within the jurisdiction of Baldia police station for the last 24 hours to avert any armed clash between two groups of people following a murder late on Friday night. Situation in the area remained tense.

According to Hyderabad SSP Adeel Chandio, Mohammad Tahir Barech died during a scuffle with another group of people over use of Sui gas connection in Pathan Goth. He said a murder case has been registered on the complaint of Tahir Barech Pathan’s maternal nephew, Inayatullah Barech Pathan.

Baldia police station SHO Imran Rasheed told Dawn that following the incident, five persons, including two nominated accused, have been picked up by police. He said the Barech community fellows, according to the complainant, had objected to illegal use of Sui gas connection in the area. He said the other side involved Afghani Pathans.

The complainant in FIR No. 120/25 had mentioned that Moosa and Talap Shah were taking the gas connection to which his uncle, Mohammad Tahir, 28, Usama and Zulfikar had objected. Inayat stated in the FIR that Zulfiqar received injuries in the head when the scuffle initially took place. He further said that then Tahir, Usama, Najeebullah and Saeed met Haji Gulab Khan and told him to control his people, but Moosa Shah, Talap Shah, Gul Shah, Muzair Shah, Naik Nazar joined the conversation.

He said Gul Shah started using abusive language to which Tahir objected but Moosa Shah fired at Tahir who fell on the ground. He said that another bullet was fired by Muzair, hitting Tahir. He claimed that Usama, Saeed and Najeeb were also beaten with sticks. According to him, the injured were taken to Liaquat University Hospital where Tahir Barech Pathan breathed his last.

SHO Imran Rasheed said that on Saturday-Sunday night, someone had torched a portion of a house owned by Afghani Pathans in which they claimed that two copies of Holy Quran were also burnt.

He said an FIR on behalf of the state was lodged under Section 436, 295-B, 427, 34 PPC for burning of the house and Holy Quran. He also said that in connection with the murder case of Tahir, Nazar Pathan and Muzair Path­an have been arrested, along with two pistols, and FIR No. 22/25 has been lodged under Sections of 25-A of Sindh Arms Act.

In view of the tense situation, three DSPs, six to seven SHOs, along with two anti-terrorist force (ATF) mobiles, were performing duties in three shifts each. According to the SHO, the situation was indeed tense and that’s why police have been deployed in the area to avert any major clash. He said following the murder police controlled a mob that sought to burn vehicles owned by Afghani Pathans.

Hyderabad Mayor Kashif Shoro has also spoken to the two sides to normalise the situation. Police also approached the mayor, who lives in the same vicinity, to use his good offices to control the situation.

Published in Dawn, July 28th, 2025