Ameer Balaj Tipu, the son of Arif Ameer, also known as Tipu Truckanwala, was shot dead in an alleged targeted killing in the Chuhng area of Lahore on Sunday night. The police claimed that Balaj, aged in his early 30s, was attending the wedding ceremony of a former DPS's son in a residential society in Chuhng when an armed man opened fire on him, injuring him critically. Three other men accompanying Balaj were also injured, as per the police. However, due to retaliatory fire by Balaj's gunmen, the assailant was also killed. All four injured were shifted to Jinnah Hospital, where Balaj succumbed to his wounds. Media reports quoted doctors as saying that he received four bullet wounds in his chest and died due to excessive bleeding.

After the three were shifted to hospital, a heavy contingent of police, including senior officers, also reached there over fears of any possible clashes, since Balaj and his family had a history of enmities for at least three generations. PML-N's MNA-elect Attaullah Tarar also rushed to the hospital on receiving the news. According to DIG (Operations) Ali Nasir Rizvi, the incident could be the result of a longstanding enmity, however, which group was behind this would be ascertained once an investigation is completed. Ameer Balaj's father, Tipu Truckanwala was similarly shot dead in the parking lot of the Allama Iqbal airport in 2010 upon returning from Dubai. His grandfather, Billa Truckanwala, had also fallen victim to an enmity. Balaj is said to have recently joined the PML-N after quitting the PTI. He was considered one of the few dons of Lahore's underworld who had generations of enmity.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)