Pakistan: Cop among six killed in armed clash over land dispute

Five people of Bhand community and a police official were killed on Saturday in an armed attack by Zardari tribals due to a land dispute in a small town in Shaheed Benazirabad district in Pakistan's Sindh province.

The district police arrested 16 armed persons of Zardari tribe along with their weapons following the incident. District SSP Saud Magsi said that the culprits will be arrested and brought to justice, reported The News International.

Local sources said that armed Zardari tribe and heavy contingent of police in 20 vehicles reached the disputed site where Bhand and Mallah community tried to harvest the crop.

However, when the locals offered resistance, they opened fire killing five members of the Bhand community and injuring ten others.

According to the local sources, the disputed land is very fertile and is allegedly encroached by Zardari tribals at the behest of the main leader of Sindh's ruling party.

Defending the Zardari tribe, Mohsin Zardari, said to be the relative of Pakistan People's Party Co-Chairman Asif Zardari, told that members of the Bhand community were killed in an exchange of fire between them and the police and that the Zardari tribe had nothing to do with the killings.

Protests were continuing at the main National Highway near Qazi Ahmed and Qazi Abad in the district against the alleged illegal encroachment of some 800 acres of land of different communities by the ruling party leaders since Tuesday, which continued till Saturday night, reported the newspaper.

( With inputs from ANI )