10 killed, 17 injured in Jalalpur Pirwala clash

MULTAN: The police claim to have arrested eight accused in the Jalalpur Pirwala incident which claimed the lives of 10 people and left 17 injured in an exchange of fire among three groups in Basti Jafar, Tehsil Jalalpur, on the Eid day.

However, the police did not disclose names and whereabouts of the arrested accused due to legal complications. At least 10 people were killed and 17 others were wounded in an armed clash between two rival groups in Jalalpur Pirwala Tehsil on the Eid day, the police said. Three river belt gangsters involved in the clash including Mumtaz Kala Jafar gang and Dahar and Rukh gangs exchanged firing when 22 people belonging to the Kala Jafar tribe were returning from mosque in Basti Jafar after offering Eid prayers. The rival Dahar, Rukh and Nazak gangs restored to firing with Kalashnikovs. Ten people were killed on the spot including three security guards of Kala Jafar and 17 were wounded, complainant Abbas stated.

Two members of the Kala Jafar gang were also killed in the exchange of firing. Mumtaz Kala alias Kala Jafar was gunned down among nine others. Ghulam Hussein Nazak was uncle of Kala Jafar.

Police insiders said Kala Jafar had submitted an application with the Jalalpur police for protection from his rival gangs but the police showed reluctance to provide security for want of personnel. The police had nominated 20 accused and five unidentified men in the first information report.

Tension spread in the area after the killings. A heavy contingent of police reached the spot after the incident and brought the situation under control. Police and rescue teams shifted the dead and injured to Tehsil Headquarters Hospital. Later, 13 critically wounded persons were referred to the Nishtar Hospital Multan.

The Regional Police have claimed to have arrested eight accused out of 20 nominated persons in the FIR and making efforts to locate the remaining. Inspector General of Police Captain (retd) Arif Nawaz suspended Jalalpur Sadar SDPO Jam Salim Khar on the charges of committing negligence. The Multan RPO Wasim Ahmed Khan suspended Jalalpur Sadar SHO Muhammad Sadiq after the registration of FIR. The RPO also constituted six teams for the arrest of the accused and gave 24 hours deadline to arrest the accused. The deadline lapsed on June 6 as the police could arrest only eight accused.

The IGP also sought a detailed report from Multan CPO Imran Mehmood, the Multan SSP Operations and the SP Sadar. The IGP conducted an emergency video link conference which was attended by the Multan RPO, CPO and other senior police officials. He expressed concern over the massacre and asked the RPO Multan about measures taken against the accused involved in the incident. The regional police officer gave a detailed briefing on the incident and informed him that the police arrested six accused soon after the incident.