Pakistan cook ‘fatally poisons’ 22 people in political feud

Police have arrested a cook accused of poisoning to death 22 people in central Pakistan in a political feud between two branches of the same family.

Police said the incident followed recent provincial elections in which Arsal Khan Khichi lost to his cousin, Jehanzeb Khan Khichi.

Mr Khichi is accused of paying the cook 50,000 rupees (€383) to poison food at his rival's home in Mailsi town in Punjab province on June 9th.

Nearly 50 people became sick and 22 died.

Police said Jehanzeb Khan Khichi was not home and did not eat the poisoned food.

He says the cook has confessed to poisoning the food and Arsal Khan Khichi is on the run.

AP