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Eight workers injured in Jhelum firing on PTI rally
JHELUM: Nine people were injured on Sunday when gunmen opened fire at workers making their way to a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) rally in Jhelum, police said. The injured have been rushed to the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital, Jhelum. Two of the nine are seriously injured. Aqeel Ahmed, a technician at the emergency ward, said that one person was in a critical condition, as he had sustained a bullet injury in the chest. He has been shifted to another hospital as the DHQ Jhelum did not have the facilities to treat him.
Ahmed said the remaining activists had injuries in their lower limbs. The incident took place in Gharmala, about 5 kilometres away from the Syed Zameer Jaffery Stadium Jhelum — the venue set for the PTI’s rally — when large numbers of PTI workers were en route to the stadium. Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif has taken notice of the incident and sought a report from the District Police Officer (DPO) Jhelum over the incident. A large number of PTI activists have gathered outside the hospital where the injured have been taken.
PTI’s local leader Nadeem Afzal Bhatti claimed that the rally was fired upon by guards of Chaudhry Nadeem Khadim, a former PML-N MPA. Speaking to TV channels Ijaz Chaudhry claimed that former MPA was involved in the firing incident which occurred following chanting of slogans by PTI supporters when they were passing through the area of Nadeem Khadim. Nadim Khadim also spoke to different TV channels and strongly denied the claim of Ijaz Chaudhry. He said that his gunmen opened fire in defense after 50 to 60 armed supporters fired shots at his residence some seven kilometers away from the PTI meeting site.
He said his Jhelum residence was near the Syed Zameer Jaffery Stadium and he voluntarily closed it to avoid any untoward incident. He said a group of PTI workers target his rural house that is away from the road and fired but fortunately he and his family members remained safe as they inside. He said his boys were very small in number and they only retaliated the firing. Chaudhry Nadeem Khadim said that the firing by PTI activists also hit the neighbouring houses and he has offered the PTI Jhelum leader to visit the site and see for themselves. He said there was no road to his farmhouse, and the PTI workers came to his house after passing through fields.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk