Law and order: At least 15 injured in sectarian clashes

Blasphemy cases registered against Shias in Khangarh and Jhang.

LAHORE:

At least 15 people including three policemen were injured in clashes between Sunni and Shia groups in the province on the 10th and 11th of muharram.

Separate cases were registered in these clashes with Khangarh and Jhang police under the blasphemy laws and anti-terrorism act.

A rally organised in Khangarh on Wednesday by members of the Sunni-Deobandi school of thought in protest against self flagellation by Shia mourners during a Muharram 10 procession on Tuesday, was intercepted at Shah Jamal Chowk and allegedly assaulted by 30 to 40 Shias. SHO Javed Akhter and two others were injured due to shooting at the scene.

An FIR registered after the incident alleged that between 30 and 40 members of the Shia sect, seven of whom were nominated, committed blasphemy (under Sections 295-C , 295-A and 298) by tearing down and desecrating pamphlets with ‘Allah’ and the name of the Holy Prophet written on it.

The Jhang district administration declared a local holiday on Wednesday following violence at the Ashura procession on the 10th of muharrram.

At least 10 people were injured in clashes between activists of banned outfit Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan and participants of the Ashura procession.

According to a Special Branch report, one Rashid was injured as he was hit by one of the stones the two groups were pelting at each other near Masjid Jafria on Blaq Shah Road. The procession was headed towards Imambargah Blaq Shah when the clashes erupted at around 4pm, the report stated.

Earlier, at least 60 SSP activists confronted the mourners near Mohallah Sheikhan Lohari Mor. Four people including two police constables were injured in the stone throwing.

SSP activists shot bullets in the air and fled the scene when police teams arrived and fired tear gas shell towards them.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Advocate Sanaul Haq, a member of the district peace committee, said 10 Shia mourners were injured when SSP activists attacked the procession with stones from rooftops of building in Sheikhon Wali Gali, Blaq Shah Wali Gali, Blaq Shah Darbar Masjid Wali Gali and Lachi Wali Gali.

In another incident on Wednesday, two motorcycle rickshaw drivers were beaten up near Jand Wala Phatak allegedly by 10 to 12 SSP activists because they had affixed black flags to their rickshaws. The injured drivers were identified by Haq as Akram Abbas and Akhtar Abbas. Haq said the Satellite Town police were yet to register an FIR.

Dasti mediating Shia-Sunni dispute in Khangarh

Talking to The Express Tribune, PPP MNA Jamshaid Dasti said he was holding negotiations with the leaders of Shia and Sunni sects in Muzafargarh and persuading them to end violence against each other.

He said he was working to settle the situation in cooperation with the district administration and the district police. Khangarh and its surrounding areas have been seen several sectarian clashes following the release of Lashkar-e-jhangvi president Malik Ishaq. Ishaq had made several visits to the district since his release.

With additional reporting from our correspondents

Published in The Express Tribune, December 8^th, 2011.