KARACHI: At least five men were killed in an armed clash between two groups in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi late Thursday, police officials said.
Both groups, who exchanged gunfire in Karachi’s Defense Housing Authority (DHA) area, belong to the Bugti tribe based in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, according to police.
Asad Raza, deputy inspector-general (DIG) of Karachi’s South district, told Arab News that both parties involved were cousins and part of extended family of late Baloch nationalist leader Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti.
“It appears that the conflict began when one party’s vehicle collided with another, leading to a heated argument that quickly escalated to an exchange of fire,” Raza said.
“The two cousins already had past family issues, and the accident acted as a catalyst for the tragedy.”
Police had arrested 17 individuals from both sides, including two gunmen from crime scene and two injured persons, according to the official.
Clashes among tribesmen over family feuds and lands have been a common occurrence in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan and southern Sindh provinces.
Earlier this year, Bugti tribesmen attacked bandits in riverine areas of Sindh near the Punjab-Balochistan border and killed nine dacoits, according to local media reports.
The Bugti tribesmen attacked the area to avenge the killing of one of their tribal leaders, Sardar Abdul Rehman Kalpar Bugti, who was allegedly gunned down by the bandits.
The warring factions often accuse each other of injustices and police of siding with opponents, an allegation denied by the law enforcers.
Five killed in armed clash between rival groups in Pakistan’s Karachi
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Five killed in armed clash between rival groups in Pakistan’s Karachi
- Both groups, who exchanged gunfire in Karachi’s Defense Housing Authority, belong to the Bugti tribe based in the southwestern Balochistan province
- DIG Asad Raza says the rival groups were led by cousins who already had family issues and an accident involving their cars acted as catalyst for tragedy
Pakistan invites Uzbek firms to run off-dock terminals at Karachi Port
- Pakistan has offered landlocked Central Asian nations access to global sea lanes via its ports
- Officials in Islamabad seek greater regional cargo flows by modernizing port infrastructure
KARACHI: Pakistan on Thursday invited Uzbek industry and trade stakeholders to consider operating dedicated off-dock terminals at Karachi Port, according to an official statement, as the country looks to expand the use of its maritime infrastructure for regional trade.
The offer was made during a visit by a 13-member delegation from Uzbekistan to the Karachi Port Trust (KPT), where officials briefed them on port infrastructure, terminal operations and logistics-related investment opportunities.
Rear Admiral Shahid Ahmed, the KPT chairman, highlighted ongoing development initiatives, rail and road connectivity and terminal operations.
“In this context, the Chairman invited Uzbek industry and trade stakeholders to consider operating dedicated off dock terminals at Karachi Port to facilitate their import and export operations,” the statement said.
Off-dock terminals are cargo handling and storage facilities located outside a port’s boundaries but connected to it by road or rail to ease congestion and support import and export operations.
The visiting delegation, led by Deputy Minister for Investment, Industry and Trade Gulamov Shokhrukh Khasanovich, also toured private terminals at Karachi Port and was briefed on the use of modern technologies at the facilities.
Pakistan has been offering landlocked Central Asian economies access to global sea lanes through its ports on the Arabian Sea and hopes to position itself as a transshipment hub by strengthening port infrastructure.
Officials say transshipment hubs enable the transfer of cargo from one vessel to another, facilitating regional and international trade and generating revenue.
As part of its port modernization drive, Pakistan has engaged Abu Dhabi Ports Group to upgrade its maritime infrastructure.
