GUJRANWALA: A family of Muhalla Mubarik Shah has to pay a very high and horrible price for seeking justice in a murder case as on Sunday it lost its sixth member allegedly for not reaching a compromise with the accused party.

The tale of barbarity began in 1995 when Khalifa Mumtaz, the family head, gave a tip-off to police that one Aqeel alias Kaka Daura possessed an unlicensed weapon as he (Kaka Daura) was developing ties with Mumtaz’s rivals.

Kashif Zafar, a relative of the victim family, told Dawn that on knowing that police was informed about the weapon by Mumtaz, Daura went to his storehouse where they had an argument which turned ugly. Daura, reportedly, opened fire at Mumtaz and one of his sons Khalifa Asghar, killing both

of them on the spot, and fled away.

A double-murder case was registered against Daura and he was later declared a proclaimed offender.

Remaining underground, Daura kept on pressurising the khalifas for withdrawing the case, failing which he killed another son of Munmtaz, Khalifa Sajjad, in 1997 but the family remained adamant on pursuing the case.

In 1999, Daura again struck. This time he stabbed Khalifa Gull Muhammad, another member of the family, to death after calling him to one of his neighbours’ house.

Two years on, police at last arrested Kaka Daura and he was handed down death on two counts.

But, the plight of khalifas did not end with Daura’s conviction as his brothers, who were living abroad, started pressurising them for a compromise.

When they could not convince the family for compromise, they allegedly got another brother, Khalifa Imtiaz murdered on May 3, 2007 by a hit man.

The latest victim is Khalifa Babar alias Gogi who was shot dead on Sunday at his business place at Khiali, allegedly by Daura’s brothers Badar and Abbas. A servant of Babar was injured in the attack who was admitted to the Civil Hospital.

The enmity has so far rendered 30 children orphan.

Khalifa Ansar is now the only surviving son of Mumtaz.

A source said a Belgium-based brother of Daura had offered Rs5 million to the Khalifas for withdrawing the case but they refused the offer.

The police have registered an FIR in which one Bilal has

been nominated as the main accused.

Jahangir Butt, Sabzi Mandi police station SHO, said the police had so far arrested three people for their alleged involvement in the murder of Khalifa Imtiaz and the investigations were on.