Interfaith harmony: Dispute over cemetery turns violent

‘8 Shias detained by police be released in two days’.

BAHAWALPUR:

The Anjuman-i-Hussainia Bahawalpur has demanded that police release the eight Shia men arrested following a Shia-Sunni graveyard dispute in Qaimpur two weeks ago.

Speaking to a press conference at a mosque near Chah Fateh Khan Bazaar on Monday, Syed Akhtar Hussain Zaidi, the Anjuman-i-Hussainia Bahawalpur general secretary, said they would block the Hasilpur Road if police did not release the detained men in two days.

He said out of the 171 kanal graveyard land, seven kanals belonged to the Shia community. He said Shias had constructed a small room on part of this land.

The night after construction started, Maulana Abdul Ghani of Madrassatul Islam, had alleged that Shias had desecrated some Sunni graves.

“We only built one room… Ghani’s speech has started a dispute,” he said.

Zaidi said, “We demand that the authorities take strict action against Qaimpur Station House Officer Hafiz Jameel, DSP Taimoor Aziz and DPO Sohail Zafar Chatha, who are supporting Ghani and his men. Bahawalpur Al Qaim Council Chairman, Roshan Ali Shah Gilani, Majlis-i-Wahadat Bahawalpur general secretary, and Bahawalpur Shia Ulema Council President Muhammad Azhar Naqvi were also present at the press conference.

Talking to The Express Tribune, SHO Jameel said representatives of both sides, Kazim Shah and Abdul Ghani, were called and had agreed that the administrative approval would be sought for the construction.

Jameel said soon after the two left, the police had received a phone call about Ghani being pelted with stones by a Mubarik Shamsi. He said there had been a brawl after that. He said the police had arrested Mubarik Shamsi and seven other Shias and registered an FIR under Sections 7ATA, 324, 297, 148/149 and 447.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 5^th, 2013.