Karachi police on Friday said they have so far arrested 17 suspects after five people were killed and two others were critically injured in a shootout between members of the Bugti clan last night.
Two groups, led by Fahad Ahmed Nawaz Bugti and Ali Haider Bugti, had engaged in a gunfight on late Thursday night near the latter’s residence in Defence Housing Authority’s (DHA) Khayaban-i-Nishat.
The clash resulted in the killing of 50-year-old Fahad — a nephew of slain Baloch chieftain Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti — while Ali Haider, also a maternal nephew of the Bugti chieftain, was injured.
Stating that four others were also killed, Deputy Inspector-General (DIG) South, Asad Raza, told Dawn.com that two people were injured, not three as previously reported.
“Earlier today, police took action in DHA, detaining 17 individuals belonging to the Bugti clan, including two gunmen, DIG Raza said.
He added that the suspects belonged to both supposed rival gangs within the Bugti family.
“Eight individuals were arrested soon after the incident while the remaining suspects were detained early Friday morning,” Raza explained.
He further said that two injured Bugti family members had been shifted to the Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) for treatment, where police guards have been deployed due to investigators treating the wounded as suspects in the clash.
Sharing further details of the incident, Raza said that at about 11:25pm on Thursday, an exchange of fire took place between the two tribal groups at DHA’s Nishat Commercial Lane 10 near, within the limits of the Darakhshan police station.
As a result, Fahad and 35-year-old Naseebullah Bugti died. From the Ali Haider group, three persons — Mir Ali Haider Bugti’s sons Meer Mohsin Bugti and Mir Essa Bugti as well as their gunman Ali lost their lives.
Meanwhile, Ali Haider along with his group mate Qaim Ali Qadir sustained injuries. Both were directly taken to the AKUH for treatment, police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed said.
According to the police surgeon, the post-mortem examination of two bodies was conducted at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, while the autopsy of three other bodies was carried out at the Civil Hospital Karachi.
They “all sustained multiple firearm injuries”, Dr Syed stated.
The shootout
Both groups, one led by slain Fahad and the other by Ali Haider, provided different versions of the incident during a preliminary probe by the police, DIG Raza said.
Fahad’s side claimed they were attacked by Ali Haider and his gunmen, causing them to retaliate in “self-defence”. On the other hand, the Ali Haider group claimed they were the ones attacked first.
The DIG said investigators asked Ali Haider’s side about their purpose for visiting Fahad’s residence in Nishat Commercial, where the incident had occurred.
According to Raza, CCTV footage obtained by the police showed that Fahad Bugti, along with his gunmen, came out of his house sitting in two luxury vehicles, while Ali Haider — travelling in a single vehicle along with his gunmen/relatives — hit the car on the bumper of Fahad’s vehicle. Soon after, a heavy exchange of gunfire began between both sides.
The DIG said the bloody clash took place near the main gate of Fahad’s residence. He said initially, the shots were fired on the left side of Ali Haider’s vehicle and it appeared that straight bullets were not fired at him.
