LAHORE - A young stage actress last night succumbed to bullet wounds at a hospital after battling for life for more than 18 hours, police sources said.
Hina Baig alias Qismat Baig and her private secretary were wounded critically in a brazen gun attack in the Harbanspura police area early yesterday. Baig was admitted to the Services Hospital with multiple bullet injuries. She remained on the ventilator for more than 18 hours, hospital official confirmed.
Her secretary Ali Butt was also shifted to the hospital with bullet wounds. However, his condition was said to be stable. The attackers were not identified yet. The shooting took place in the residential locality during the small hours of Thursday.
The 23-year-old drama artist riding in a car along with her secretary was on her way home when five men stopped their vehicle at gunpoint near Palki Marriage Hall in Canal Point Scheme. They opened the doors of the car and fired at the lady and her driver.
As a result, Baig sustained five bullets in the chest and legs. Her driver also sustained bullet wounds. The victims were shifted to the hospital in a private car. The attackers fled instantly. Initial investigations said that gunmen were riding on a motorcycle and a latest model car.
Earlier, the Harbanspura police filed an attempted murder case (under section 324 of the PPC) against unidentified gunmen on the complaint of Shahid Mahmood, the bother-in-law of the lady. The police launched the investigation with no arrest made yet. An eyewitness told the police that two of the five attackers were equipped with iron rods. “They hit Ali Butt in the head with iron rods before opening straight fire (on both the victims) with automatic firearms,” a police officer quoted the eyewitness as telling investigators at the crime scene.
Investigators were working to ascertain motives behind the fatal shooting. It was not clear yet whether the drama artist was shot by robbers or she was targeted over some personal grudge. Lahore’s Cantonment division SP Rana Tahir told reporters that they were investigating the shooting keeping in view different aspects of the happening.
THREE WOMEN ROBBED AT GUNPOINT
Two motorcyclists held up three women at gunpoint and snatched away cash and god ornaments worth Rs 350,000 in Township police precincts.
The complainant, Iqbal Baig, told the police that her relatives were coming back home in an auto-rickshaw when two gunmen intercepted them on the PIA Society Road. The robbers held up the ladies at gunpoint and fled after collecting six tola gold ornaments and Rs 45,000. The police were investigating the robbery incident.
