In a brazen attack on state authority, members of a powerful land mafia opened fire on Punjab government officials and the Para Force during an anti-encroachment operation in Lahore. The incident occurred near Waraich Sattar, adjacent to the Ring Road, close to the Quaid-e-Azam Interchange, where an illegal commercial plaza was being demolished on the directives of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif.
According to sources, Assistant Commissioner (AC) Shalimar, Saqib Tarazi, was supervising the operation along with Zonal Officer Wahga Zone, Tahir Gujar, when suddenly armed men led by Zulfiqar alias Javed Kamboh and Ateeq Kamboh opened straight fire with automatic weapons. Fortunately, one of the bullets got jammed in the chamber, sparing the life of AC Shalimar. However, the situation turned tense as chaos erupted on-site.
Acting swiftly, AC Shalimar called for immediate police reinforcement. Officers from the Harbanspura Police Station, along with Para Force personnel, reached the site and managed to apprehend Zulfiqar Kamboh, along with his armed accomplices Muhammad Azaan and Danish. They were arrested with sophisticated weapons, including a .223 bore Kalashnikov and a 12-bore shotgun.
However, Ateeq Kamboh managed to escape the scene with 4-5 unidentified armed men, brandishing rifles and pump-action guns.
A formal application for FIR registration has been submitted by Zonal Officer Tahir Gujar to Harbanspura Police, invoking Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) and Section 186 of the Pakistan Penal Code (obstructing public officials from lawful duty). The report stated that the operation was being carried out in compliance with Deputy Commissioner Lahore’s official order No. 473-MOP-MCL-2025 dated July 23, 2025.
In the written complaint, Tahir Gujar reported that the accused obstructed the demolition team, hurled death threats, used abusive language, and opened fire with the intention to kill. One bullet hit a nearby wall, spreading panic in the area. Despite the volatile situation, Para Force personnel managed to arrest three of the accused on the spot, along with their weapons.
The AC and Zonal Officer also demanded swift legal proceedings against the accused, including those who managed to escape. Following the incident, Deputy Commissioner Lahore and MCL Administrator, Syed Musa Raza, announced that strict legal action under terrorism laws will be pursued against all those involved.
Public and civil society members have strongly condemned the attack, calling it a direct challenge to the writ of the state. They demanded exemplary punishment for the culprits and urged the government to crush land mafia operations with full force.