HYDERABAD: Police have arrested at least one man in connection with the death of 27-year-old Bilal Kaka, who was killed in a clash with the restaurant management while out for dinner with friends on the second day of Eid.

Bilal was killed and five others were injured in a quarrel that escalated into a shootout at a restaurant on the Hyderabad bypass on Monday night.

According to eyewitnesses, both groups were armed with weapons and iron rods. A police mobile was reportedly present near the scene but witnesses say it did not intervene to contain the situation even though ‘bullets were flying’.

On Tuesday, the family of the youngster held a sit-in at the Hyderabad bypass with Bilal’s body. Some local political leaders and members of the civil society also participated in the protest. The protest disrupted traffic flow on the National Highway

Hyderabad SSP Amjad Shaikh visited protesters and assured them that a first information report would be filed against the accused. He also assured protesters that an inquiry against the police officials who failed to prevent the situation from escalating during the shootout that claimed Bilal’s life.

The FIR has been filed under various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code and include charges of murder, attempted murder, and terrorism. The FIR has been registered against six people. Of those four have been identified while two have not been identified.

Police arrested one of the accused on Tuesday, while the rest were able to escape. Shahsawar runs the restaurant where the incident took place.

Earlier today, Bhittai Nagar police produced the accused in the court of judicial magistrate under tight security, who handed him over to the police on two-day remand.

Escalation

Following the incident, there were reports that armed groups were forcing owners to close their restaurants over the incident.

Dr Niaz Kalani of the Jiye Sindh Qaumi Mahaaz, a Sindhi nationalist poitical party, told Aaj News Digital that the incidents like the killing of Bilal Kaka was an act of terrorism and unacceptable while calling for the expulsion of ‘aliens’ living in the province.

“We demand that those living illegally in Sindh be repatriated,” he said.

There have been reports that JSQM workers are the ones ordering restaurants to close down.

The provincial president of Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party has condemned the incident while urging Sindhi nationalists to play their role in ensuring that the situation doesn’t spiral out of control. He also questioned the silence of law-enforcement agencies over the issue, according to his statement tweeted by journalist Malik Achakzai.

“#JusticeForBilalKaka“

Friends of Bilal Kaka, who was an active TikTok user with a small but loyal following, continue to raise the issue on social media.

It has since become viral, with #JusticeForBilalKaka trending on Pakistani Twitter.

One user said that it was disconcerting when a midnight meal could result in a fatal shootout.

Another tweet demanded that the murder issue should be dealt with in a sensible manner.

There were calls for a crackdown on carrying weapons.

One tweet compared how other countries have laws to protect citizens against migrants.

It resulted in questions about the state of security in the country.

One user, while condemning the murder, asked people not to use it to stoke hatred.