Seminary students, traders protest in Rawalpindi

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif suspends RPO Rawalpindi over riots in the city on November 15.


Web Desk/fawad Ali November 18, 2013
A delegation of teachers of Jamia Hafsa Lal Masjid visiting the Jamia Taleem-ul-Quran after curfew was lifted in Rawalpindi on Monday morning. PHOTO: MUHAMMAD JAVAID/EXPRESS

RAWALPINDI: Around seven to eight hundred people staged a protest against the administration, demanding compensation for losses borne by traders as a result of the Rawalpindi riots, Express News reported.

Students from the Jamia Hafsa seminary - located adjacent to Lal Masjid - and traders gathered outside Raja Bazaar in Pindi at around 11am and chanted slogans against the administration. These demonstrations began soon after Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah's press conference in which he assured the public that the government would take swift action against the culprits behind the clashes.

Students of the seminary tried to protest on College Road but the army did not allow them to.

The army and police had arrived at the bazaar shortly after the protest started and since then all routes leading to Raja Bazaar have been closed off.

In light of the rising tensions, vehicles are not allowed to pass through the area and pedestrians are not being granted access either.

The district administration also banned the sale of petrol for motorcycles.

On November 15, sectarian clashes had erupted at an Ashura procession near Fawara Chowk, that left at least nine people dead and over 80 injured. Unidentified people had also set a portion of the cloth market in Raja Bazaar on fire.

The Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) in Rawalpindi announced that intermediate papers have been postponed. The papers were earlier scheduled for 2pm today.

Shops in Raja Bazaar, Gawalmandi and on Murree Road were also closed.

Imambarghas and other sensitive areas are on high alert following the protest. The army has been deployed in Rawal Town and at Raja Bazaar and Fawara Chowk.

RPO Rawalpindi suspended

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Monday evening suspended RPO Rawalpindi over riots in the city on November 15.

Probe team

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has formed a team to investigate the Rawalpindi clashes that occurred on November 15, Express News reported.

Counter Terrorism Division (CTD) Additional Inspector General (AIG) Aftab Cheema will head the team.

Cheema has already reached Rawalpindi with his team, who will investigate the clashes and take action without discrimination, according to a spokesperson for the government.

Some evidence has already been collected according to reports.

COMMENTS (51)

Ahmad | 10 years ago | Reply

It is fact that so many people have lost their lives due to failure to implement the security plan and change in duties of the police officers on spot

Adil | 10 years ago | Reply

What is the purpose of this visit ... spew more venom? The Army should have stopped them since police is so inept.

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