Islamabad -  At least three people including a woman were killed and another person was injured as a result of a dispute over grazing goats in the suburbs of the federal capital city on Sunday morning.

The incident took place in Malpur area in the limits of Secretariat Police Station where two groups exchanged fire over a goat-grazing dispute, the police said. A couple, identified as Aleem Khan, 55, and his wife Noor Asmeena, 40, hailing from Waziristan Agency, were killed in the firing. The third person killed in the incident was identified as Miskeen, 60, who belonged to the rival group.

According to the locals, members of one group grazed their goats on the land of the other group, after which the latter broke the leg of a goat. Aleem Khan questioned prime suspect Zeeshan, who is also injured and presently languishing in police custody, that why his goat was harmed, after which the arguments escalated and the two sides started firing at each other.

The police took Zeeshan into custody and admitted him at a local hospital. Zeeshan, a resident of Malpur, is stated to be a son of the deceased, Miskeen. A case has been registered and further investigation is under way.

Murder has been a frequent crime in the capital and in majority cases, land disputes are behind the crime. The capital city witnessed 115 murders in 2015 and 96 murders in the year 2016, a figure that speaks loud about how the criminals and gangs can easily get weapons and use them against their rivals.

Given the population of just over two million, around 100 murders in a single year of 2016, with 11 of these coming in December alone, is a matter of concern for residents as well as the authorities.

Some of the most prominent cases include the murder of Barrister Fahad Malik, who was gunned down in F-10/3 in the early hours of August 15. There have also been dozens of attempted murder cases in 2016.

The statistics reveal that land disputes were behind the most murder cases in Islamabad. Land and property disputes leave all other motives for murder far behind in the capital city. Such disputes used to be prevalent in the rural areas where business of housing societies is booming and the price of land is skyrocketing. The prices of real estate have been rising fast as Islamabad is the place of choice for many, particularly the rich class, to live in or invest. Such disputes have risen mostly in the areas including Alipur Farash, Phulgaran, Bhara Kahu, Sihala and those falling in the limits of the Secretariat, Shehzad Town, Sihala, Lohi Bher and Bhara Kahu police stations.

According to the police record, the city witnessed eight murders in a single day in 2013 that shocked the residents. October 14, 2013 was a blood-soaked day as police reported eight persons murdered in four different localities in the city’s outskirts overnight. Fahmina Omair, a girl who went missing on a visit to Islamabad, was the first to be found lying dead in Korang Nullah in Bhara Kahu area. The police also reported six other murders in Sihala and Loi Bher areas that caused greater shock to the residents as they were all interconnected.

Meanwhile, Islamabad police arrested eight outlaws including two drug pushers and recovered 1.120 kilograms of heroin and 370 grams of hashish, and cash and weapons from their possession.

The Noon police arrested a drug pusher, Naveed, during special checking and recovered 1,015 grams of heroin and 370 grams of hashish from his possession and also arrested two accused Shakeel and Mohib-Ullah and recovered one 30-bore pistol and one 12-bore gun from their possession.

The Kohsar police arrested a drug pusher, Asif, and recovered 105 grams of heroin from him. Bhara Kahu police arrested three accused, Asif, Niaz and Arif, and recovered stolen cash from them.

The Shahzad Town police recovered a dagger from possession of an accused Jahanzaib. Cases have been registered against the nabbed persons and further investigation is underway.