Cop shot dead at Kashmir Highway, 3 passersby injured

ISLAMABAD: A traffic police officer was gunned down, three others wounded during gun battle between two rival groups at Kashmir Highway on Friday evening.

Sub-Inspector Muhammad Aslam of Islamabad Traffic Police (ICT) was killed when two rival groups riding two cars opened firing, police said and added that three passersby injured in the firing.

Eye witnesses told the police that two vehicles at Kashmir Highway collided with each other and subsequently, two persons came out from one vehicle and opened fire at the other.

SP (Industrial Area) Zubair Shaikh when contacted by this correspondent, said, during the shooting, drivers of both the vehicles fled the scene but the ITP officer tried to intercept the car riders but the assailants started indiscriminate firing aiming at the Sub Inspector, performing duty at the intersection. Meanwhile, a traffic police officer who tried to stop the vehicles was shot dead.

Four people including SI Mohammad Aslam and three passersby sustained multiple bullets and shifted to PIMS hospital but SI Mohammad Aslam succumbed to his injuries during the surgery while the three others were still in critical condition.

SP Zubair Shaikh told this scribe that heavy contingent of police and Rangers have cordoned off the area and thorough combing has been initiated in different areas as the shooters fled leaving their vehicles behind.

He said, however, the assailants have been identified as both the groups were belonging to Parachanar. He said that different teams have sent to Parachanar to hunt the suspects down. The SP claimed that the culprits would be arrested within 48 hours.