SIALKOT, March 24: The Sialkot tehsil PML-Q president was shot dead on Wednesday by his rivals over an old enmity in Happu Garah-Katto Roda village. Chaudhry Muhammad Akram Padaal (55) was going back to his house from the market when armed men opened fire on him, killing him on the spot. Later, the killers fled while firing in the air. The body was shifted to the Sialkot DHQ Hospital for autopsy.

Sadar police are going into the matter. The deceased a close friend of National Assembly speaker Chaudhry Ameer Hussain, was also the right hand of the Variyo family. He had also been the former vice-chairman of the Sialkot district council.

The Motra police had registered a murder case against deceased Padaal and his son for allegedly killing their rival Mushtaq Ahmad Butt in Happu Garah village in Daska tehsil in December, 2003.

It was alleged that Javaid alias Jaida Butt might have killed Chaudhry Padaal for taking revenge of Mushtaq Butt's murder. Meanwhile, in an emergent meeting, Sialkot district PML-Q president Muhammad Naeem advocate strongly condemned the murder and demanded immediate arrest of the killers. The PML-Q announced to mourn the murder of Mr Padaal for two days in Sialkot.

The Variyo family head and former MNA, Chaudhry Akhtar Ali Variyo, also expressed his grave concern over the murder of the tehsil president. District Nazim Mian Naeem Javaid told newsmen that the police had been asked to arrest the killers of Mr Padaal immediately.

Meanwhile, DPO Nisar Ahmad Saroya informed pressmen that the killers would be arrested within 24 hours as raids were being conducted at various places for the arrest of the accused.

CAMPAIGN: A walk to create awareness among the general public about TB was held at Daska town on Wednesday under the auspices of Anti-TB Association, Daska tehsil. A large number of people from all walks of life took part in the walk.