SHIKARPUR: A youth was shot dead on Saturday while four villagers sustained critical injuries during an armed clash between two clans of Machi and Wadhayo at Hasi-G-Wand Village, situated near Jagan town in Shikarpur district of Sindh province. According to police sources, a brawl erupted between two groups of Machi and Wadhayo tribesmen over a trivial issue of water supply into agricultural lands. Reportedly, 25-year-old Javed Ahmed died while he was being shifted to a nearby hospital. Meanwhile, four villagers namely Ali Machi, Akram Machi and two belonging to the Wadhayo group Nisar Ahmed and Dost Ali received grave injuries. Following the incident, officers of Hamayon Police Station rushed to the spot and prevented the situation from further deterioration. Consequently, the injured were rushed to the Civil Hospital in Shikarpur for treatment and deceased’s body was handed over to his heirs after medico-legal formality. Since a long time, crime rate has been increasing in the district of Shikarpur, and deadliest disputes were observed in the recent past over ‘trivial’ issues between tribes. Hundreds of people had lost their lives as a result of honour killings, property ownership claims, cattle grazing in disputed fields, spying, theft and street crimes. The provincial government needs to adopt effective measures to prevent such disputes in the district, and control law and order situation. Published in Daily Times, June 24th 2018.