KHAIRPUR - At least six people including a journalist and a college professor were killed while 10 others were injured when unknown gunmen opened fire on a PPP gathering near Khairpur on Sunday night.
Three journalists and the administrator TMA Khairpur were among the injured.
According to details, Khairpur Taluka administrator Niaz Ali Janwari hosted a public meeting in favour of Sindh Local Government Law at village Sadoro Janwari in the jurisdiction of A-Section Police Station. MNA Nafeesa Shah, daughter of Sindh CM Qaim Ali Shah, was the chief guest on the occasion.
When Nafeesa Shah was on her way to attend the gathering, some armed persons attacked village Sadoro and started firing on people who were waiting for Nafeesa Shah.
Mushtaq Khand, a journalist, Zafar Ali, Salahuddin, Dilshad and Raza Mehdi died on the spot while 10 persons including three journalists – Mukhtiar Phulpoto, Allah Dad Rind, Faheem Mangi – and TMA administrator Niaz Ali Janwari were injured. They were brought to Civil Hospital for treatment.
After the incident, police reached the spot but the culprits had fled by then. The PPP leaders strongly condemned the attack and demanded an inquiry.
When contacted, DIG Sukkur Ameer Sheikh said that attackers came in a vehicle and managed to flee from the scene after carrying out the attack.
Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf has condemned the incident and sought a report from the authorities concerned.
Sindh CM Qaim Ali Shah, MQM chief Altaf Hussain and PPP leader Manzoor Wasan also condemned the incident. A boy, Munawar, who was among the injured, later succumbed to his injuries at a hospital.
Meanwhile, according to a private TV channel, the firing took place at about 8:20 pm when two rival groups opened fire at each other after fierce argument at the political gathering.
Nafeesa Shah, told local media that the firing was an outcome of an old enmity between two local groups.