Karachi milk shop shootout over Punjab land dispute leaves 3 hitmen dead

Gunmen opened fire at a milk shop in Pakistan's Karachi over the weekend, sparking a shootout with police that left three attackers dead and three others wounded in what authorities say stemmed from a land dispute in rural Punjab.

According to police, four assailants on two motorcycles attacked Muhammad Yaqoob's Ibrahim Meo Rajput Milk shop in North Karachi's Sector 5C-4 at 6:45 p.m., firing more than 25 rounds. During the incident, one of the gunmen also robbed a neighboring mobile phone shop, stealing PKR 20,000 ($71) and a phone.

Yaqoob escaped injury by taking shelter behind a refrigerator, but his son Jahanzaib was shot in the leg. Two others were wounded in the shooting: a passerby named Khurram and a customer named Subhan.

A police motorcycle squad from the Khawaja Ajmeer Nagri station responded to the scene and engaged in a gunfight with the attackers. Three assailants were killed in the exchange of fire, while the fourth fled on a motorcycle.

After the shootout, Ashfaq called Yaqoob with a threat: "You killed my three men; now I will kill you and your son."

Background of the dispute

Deputy Superintendent of Police Salman Waheed initially thought the assailants were robbers targeting the shop. However, further investigation revealed they were hired hitmen from Punjab.

Yaqoob later disclosed that he had received threats from a man named Ashfaq in Kasur, Punjab, over a land dispute, but had not reported them to police. During the attack, the gunmen shouted that Yaqoob had wronged Ashfaq.

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During the police's investigation, Yaqoob revealed that three years ago, he purchased 2 canals and 17 marlas of land in Pathuki, Kasur, for PKR 800,000. The property's value has since increased to PKR 1.4 million.

The seller and alleged orchestrator of the attack, Ashfaq, is now demanding the return of the land without compensation, Yaqoob claims. But Yaqoob refuses, insisting the sale was legal and the price has increased too much to simply reverse the sale.

Investigation finds attackers were hired hitmen

Analysis of mobile phones recovered from the dead attackers provided crucial evidence: photographs of Yaqoob and Jahanzaib, along with train tickets for their planned return to Punjab. Through biometric verification, police identified the attackers as Kashif, Gulfam, and Aas Muhammad, all from Punjab.

The Sindh Police contacted Punjab's Crime Investigation Agency (CIA), which confirmed the attackers had criminal records with 22 registered cases. Sindh police are now working with Punjab authorities to arrest the fourth attacker and address the threats from Ashfaq. Police have provided enhanced security to Yaqoob and his family.