DASKA: A defendant in a murder case and his mother were gunned down in broad daylight near Matkay Bridge in Daska on Thursday in what police believe to be a targeted attack. The victims, Saad Arif and his mother Rukhshana Arif, were returning from a court hearing when they were ambushed by three armed suspects riding a motorcycle.
The family, which had traveled from Narowal to attend the hearing, was on their way home when the attackers opened fire at around 3:00 pm. Saad and Rukhshana died at the scene, although no other casualties were reported despite the gunfire. The assailants fled while firing shots into the air.
Police teams, led by SP Investigation Usman Saifi and DSP Daska Khalid Aslam Jathol, arrived at the scene and launched a manhunt for the suspects. Forensic evidence was collected by Rescue 1122 and the Crime Scene Unit, and the bodies were transported to the Civil Hospital Daska mortuary.
An FIR was registered under sections 302, 109, and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code by Muhammad Usama, the brother of the deceased. The suspects, identified as Adeel, Abdul Rehman, and Waqas, are believed to be linked to the murder of Zain Ali, which took place earlier this year in March. Saad Arif was named a suspect in that case, which has fueled longstanding tensions between the two families.
DSP Jathol confirmed that efforts to track down the suspects were ongoing, with police conducting raids at their residences. However, the suspects’ homes were found locked, leading authorities to believe the double murder had been carefully planned.
