KARACHI: Gunmen shot dead three Hindus in a remote southern Pakistani town in a dispute over a dancing girl with a local Muslim tribe, officials said on Tuesday.

The incident took place on Monday in Chak town near Shikarpur city, 400 kilometres north of Karachi.

“Two men riding a motorbike opened fire at a clinic, killing three Hindu doctors and wounding a paramedic seriously,” Pakistan Hindu Council chief Ramesh Kumar told AFP.

He said the dispute had erupted between the Hindu community and the local Baban Khan Bhayo tribe after local Hindu boys brought a Muslim dancing girl to the area.

“Police raided the house where the girl was dancing and arrested four boys,” said Kumar.

He said that the issue had been taken to the local assembly of elders to be resolved peacefully after the ongoing Eid holidays, but before that could happen the shooting took place, he said.

Kumar said the Hindu community had sought protection from police after receiving anonymous calls threatening them with “serious consequences”.

Sindh police Inspector General Mushtaq Shah also confirmed the explanation for the incident and the casualties.