A violent confrontation between two rival groups in Arifabad village, Pakpattan, turned deadly on Wednesday as tensions over a love marriage escalated into open violence. The conflict between members of the Arain and Panwar communities resulted in the deaths of two men and left five others seriously injured.
According to police reports, the incident unfolded when both factions exchanged heavy gunfire, leading to the death of 50-year-old Ghulam Murtaza. Four individuals from his group sustained critical injuries during the shootout. In retaliation, Munir — a member of the opposing faction — was killed using a sharp-edged weapon, while another man from his side suffered gunshot wounds.
Police Respond with Swift Action, Ten Suspects Arrested So Far
District Police Officer (DPO) Javed Chadhar, along with a large police contingent, quickly responded to the scene and sealed off the area to control the situation. To ensure justice and prevent further escalation, DSP Saddar Chaudhry Inamul Haq formed a special investigation team tasked with tracking down those responsible.
A First Information Report (FIR) was registered at Kalyana Police Station based on a complaint filed by Muhammad Asif, the son of the deceased Ghulam Murtaza. The FIR names nine suspects, including Talib Hussain, Muhammad Munir, Muhammad Nadeem, Tanveer Ahmed, and Shabbir. Charges have been filed under Sections 459, 302, 324, 148, and 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code, covering murder, attempted murder, and unlawful assembly.
DPO Chadhar confirmed that ten suspects have already been taken into custody — three from one group and seven from the other. Raids are ongoing to capture the remaining accused. Elite Force and local police have been deployed in Arifabad to maintain order and prevent further clashes.
The four critically injured victims were transported to Sahiwal Teaching Hospital for emergency treatment.
