Pak cook arrested for poisoning 25 over political rivalry

A cook has been arrested in Pakistan for killing 25 people by mixing poisonous insecticide in the food prepared at the house of a provincial lawmaker in a tragic case of political vendetta, police said today.
The incident occurred on June 8 in Mailsi area of Vehari district in southern Punjab but police launched probe only after media highlighted the deaths which occurred between June 10 and 23.
Local police officer Afzal Ali said that the cook, Muhammad Rafiq, prepared the poisonous food at the farmhouse of provincial lawmaker Jahanzeb Khan Khichi after getting Rs 50,000 as bribe from a person known as Arsal Khan Khichi.

"Arsal is a political rival and cousin of Jahanzeb who defeated him in May 11 election and he wanted to take a revenge for the humiliation," Ali said.
Police has registered a murder case against the cook and Arsal but the later was still at large.
District police officer Vehari region, Sadiq Dogar, said that police was conducting raids at various places and the main culprit will be apprehended.

Rafiq also told police that he was promised 100,000 rupees for the murder.
Dawn newspaper quoted a local health that the autopsy of the dead confirmed the presence of poisonous substance in the bodies.

Most of the victims were poor labourers who worked on the land of the Jahanzeb, who is a prominent landlord.