Pak: 9 killed, 20 wounded after people open fire at tribal court in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

At least nine people were killed and 20 others were wounded after two conflicting groups engaged in gunfire while attending a trial in jirga- a local tribal court-in Upper Dir district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. According to Xinhua, both the conflicting parties were present at the court to resolve a dispute about a road to be constructed on their land. However, a brawl broke out between the two, prompting them to pull out guns and start firing at each other. 

“During the court hearing, a heated discussion started between the two groups which got worse and they pulled out their guns at each other, followed by a series exchange of firing,” Laal Bahadar, station house officer of Barawal area told Xinhua. 

In the aftermath, all the injured and the bodies were taken to the District headquarters Hospital (DHQ) where the medics declared nine people dead. The rest of them were admitted to be treated for their wounds. As per Tribune Pakistan, five out of those admitted were in critical condition. Furthermore, he said that the police have commenced a probe into the whole incident and are looking for culprits. 

Last month, eight people lost their lives and 11 sustained serious injuries in a similar case of land dispute. The incident took place in Kurram tribal district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province where the villagers first engaged in a verbal dispute and then started firing at each other. According to a report published in Tribune, two people indulged in a fight over a standing crop after which they pulled out their weapons and started firing at each other. 

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