LAHORE: About 15 people have been arrested after the incident on Wednesday night when two rival groups traded fire during a wedding ceremony in Lahore’s Johar Town area.
According to reports, the groups involved in the crossfire were those of Malik Aslam and Ashraf Bhatti. As a result of firing, two persons lost their lives. One of the deceased included Imran Shafee Khokhar, who was a son of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Malik Shafi Khokar and the nephew of PML-N MNA Malik Afzal Khokhar. The police, including senior officers, had arrived at the crime scene.
Sources said the incident took place after the security guards of both the groups opened indiscriminate firing which left two dead and as many as five others injured.
It has been learnt that during the wedding ceremony of Fahad Khokhar, Imran Shafi was sitting beside the groom when the gunmen opened fire. After being shot by the gunmen, Shafi was rushed to a private hospital where he succumbed to his gunshot wounds.
Initial reports suggested a security guard was also killed in the crossfire. However, the injured were shifted to different nearby hospitals, including Jinnah Hospital. Among the injured, two are stated to be in critical condition.
Punjab Police chief Arif Nawaz and Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Lahore Amin Wains took an immediate notice of the incident. Cases were registered against the accused under Section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and Anti-Terrorism Act.
The funeral prayer of Imran Shafi was offered on Thursday under tight security in an area near Johar Town. Many senior politicians of the PML-N, including Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Imran Nazeer, Food Minister Bilal Yaseen and MNA Chaudry Gulzar, attended the funeral prayer.
