A man and his son were shot and injured on Wednesday on court premises.
The injured were taken to district headquarters hospital, where they were reported to be in critical condition.
One of the assailants was arrested, while his two accomplices fled.
Civil Lines police said that Liaqat Ali, a resident of Chak 204-RB, had had an old rivalry with Rana Sarfaraz, a lawyer, over property.
They said Ali had filed a case against Sarfaraz at the district and session court. The case was being heard in Judge Muhammad Rasheed Qamar’s court.
On Wednesday, police said, when Ali and his son Zubair entered the court premises, Sarfaraz and his two accomplices- identified as Rana Mukhtar and Rana Zulfiqar- shot at the father and the son.
Sarfaraz was arrested, but his accomplices fled.
Ali and Zubair were taken to the hospital by Rescue 1122. Doctors treating them said that their condition was critical.
Police said the firing caused a panic among the litigants and court staff. They said it took one hour for the police to bring the situation under control. City Police Officer Raja Riffat Mukhtar also arrived at the scene with his team.
They said Sarfaraz tried to flee when people started running around in panic, but was caught by a security guard, Nawaz Randhawa.
Station House Officer Inspector Hafiz Irfan told The Express Tribune that police recovered a pistol and a loaded magazine from Sarfaraz.
A case has been registered against Sarfaraz and his accomplices under the Anti Terrorism Act and Sections 324 and 334 of the Pakistan Penal Code.
Free will marriage
Earlier on Wednesday, the Civil Line police foiled a family’s attempt to forcibly take with them a woman who had married of her free will. They arrested the woman’s brothers, who had also attacked her husband.
Police said Kubra, a resident of Thikriwala, had married Shahid, a resident of Ghulam Muhammadabad, on April 10. Kubra’s family had filed an abduction case against Shahid on April 13.
On Wednesday, Kubra and Shahid appeared in front of a sessions judge, where she told the court that Shahid had not kidnapped her and that she had married him of her free will.
She said she did not want to live with her family, who, she said, were threatening to kill her husband.
When they were on their way out, police said, Kubra’s brothers attacked them and started beating Shahid. Police said they also tried to take Kubra with them. Police intervened and arrested her brothers.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 18th, 2013.