DERA GHAZI KHAN: A police official from Balochistan was killed and more than a dozen locals suffered injuries in a firing incident here on Friday night at Sokarr, native village of Malghani Baloch tribe.

Reports said a couple of days back, some men from Shah Sadardin had fired on the son of a local Riaz at Sokarr village who miraculously escaped the attack. However, the villagers overpowered one of the assailants and handed him over to the police after beating him.

On Friday night, 20 men armed with kalashnikovs riding 10 bikes attacked the village to avenge the earlier incident and opened fire. Haris Mulghani, an employee of the Balochistan police [on leave], was killed while Atif, Muaz Samiullah, Mitha Gauman Chiltonwala, Gulshir and eight other villagers were injured and shifted to Taunsa THQ hospital.

Later, in reaction to police’s ‘failure’ to protect people, residents of Sokarr attacked the police van that came to investigate the incident. The protesters blocked the inter-provincial Indus highway at Bhai Mor, throwing traffic out of gear.

According to police sources, the Taunsa circle has been alerted and teams formed to nab the assailants.

Published in Dawn, January 29th, 2023