Second day of curfew in Rawalpindi following the clashes. PHOTO: AFP
RAWALPINDI: The curfew in Rawalpindi has been extended for a second day following fierce clashes that erupted between rival groups in the city during an Ashura procession on November 15, Express News reported on Sunday.
A judicial commission chaired by Justice Mamon Rashid has been formed to carry out further investigations into the sectarian clashes.
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has told citizens to stay inside their homes. Mobile services have been suspended in the city indefinitely. Food and water have also become scarce because of the situation in the city.
Policemen and soldiers from regular and paramilitary units, who were called in to restore order, are patrolling the troubled areas, arresting people who violate the curfew.
Up to nine people died and dozens were injured in the clashes which continued late into the night of November 15.
Many politicians expressed concern and anger over the situation in Rawalpindi on Twitter:
Hope everyone is safe in Rawalpindi.This is a time to call for unity and restraint.The votaries of hate and division must not succeed.
— SenatorSherryRehman (@sherryrehman) November 16, 2013
#Rawalpindi incident was an attempt to destroy peace in the city
— Sheikh Rashid Ahmed (@ShkhRasheed) November 16, 2013
Mobile network to stay suspended in Pindi indefinitely.. That's Chaudhry Nisar for u! Now miss @SenRehmanMalik
— Dr. Sharmila sahibah faruqui (Phd) s.i (@sharmilafaruqi) November 16, 2013
Other cities
Mobile services have also been suspended in Islamabad till 2pm today.
In various cities in Punjab including Multan, Faisalabad, Chiniot and Jhang Section 144 has been imposed. Five people or more cannot gather at one place at the same time.
These security measures were taken after more than 110 people, including police personnel, had sustained injuries on November 15 and 16 amid unrest in Bahawalnagar and Multan.
A hospital, two shops and some other buildings were burnt down by angry protesters in different areas of Bahawalnagar. As many as 70 people, including two policemen, were injured in the riots. The Chishtian sub-district was subsequently handed over to the army and while Rangers were called to take over Bahwalnagar’s Haroonabad area.
Another 40 people were injured in Multan on November 16 when clashes erupted in the city. As the riots spread to over half the area of Multan, army and Rangers were called in to defuse the situation.
The Rawalpindi clashes
On November 15, sectarian clashes had erupted at a Muharram 10 procession near Fawara Chowk, that left at least nine people dead and over 80 injured.
The tragedy had occurred as mob turned against the police in the procession passing through Raja Bazaar in Pindi.
As mourners massed, a group of miscreants at 3:00pm had reportedly snatched guns from police personnel installed in the area for security, and opened fire.
As panic spread, unknown people had set a portion of the cloth market in Raja Bazaar on fire.
The situation had soon gotten out of hand and the army was called in to control the situation.
The Express News team, along with other media personnel were also assaulted by unknown men.
COMMENTS (23)
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well i think it is a right decision because this incidence could lead to major violence, i think some internal or external forces wanted to trigger a massive clash to destroy the peace, also there are some indications from govt in form of extending curfew means there is something going on which they can not express to locals. Please stay calm, be safe...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-FvLP0J1oo this is the proof that ET doesn't want everyone to see.
I wonder what kind of security arrangements were done by local administration prior to the procession of Muharram passed that area? Did they ask the residents of the buildings on the path to stay inside? Why a gathering of outsiders in a mosque at 3:30 pm on the path was not banned to avoid any conflict?
Local administration has failed badly. Total failure of law & order.
ET allways eats my comments because it is on the side of terrorists ET never tells the truth.
@Javed: Two Nations theory: In 1947 people were given choice to pick one of two nations. One nation offered Atomic Bomb, plot to each defense personnel, toilet for everyone, no poverty, no human rights for Shia, Ahmadi, Christians, Hindu and Sikh, no cell phone, no you tube. The other nation offered none of the above but they build schools for education of boys and girls to get low paying work at sweat shop of IT companies and this led to increase in poverty and no spare change for building toilets.
Curfew ??? Punjab Government should take strict action against culprits but it is upon expected curfew isn't way to restore peace in Rawalpindi..
@Khurram Awan:
Khurram, you must have missed Sheikh Rashid Ahmad's tweet above:
*Sheikh Rashid Ahmad @ShkhRasheed Rawalpindi incident was an attempt to destroy peace in the city 8:20 AM - 16 Nov 2013*What a profound thought! The Einstein has finally spoken !!!
Congratulations to Pakistan's "English" media for being overwhelmingly sympathetic to Christians, Hindus, Atheists, Sikhs, Buddhists, Qadiyanis and Shias. Good going. Keep it up.
Country faces curfews, killings, destructions, etc. etc. Curfew does not extend to cantonment areas of Rawalpindi. Cantonment areas have peace and tranquility. Even, Karachi Cantonment area is safe. One suggestion is to make the make whole country as Military cantonment area. There will then peace in the whole country.
@It Is (still) Economy Stupid: You better build enough toilets for yourself before recapitulating Indian version of two nation theory!
@It Is (still) Economy Stupid: Get lost.
You know what? Govt has no control how a mob behaves all they can do is make sure that the Jaloos gets a save passage. Now a bunch of morons go wild and react to an idiot molvi's hated infested speech it is not government's problem and there is no way police could control. Appreciate government for making law enforcement agencies co ordinate and not letting any bigger catastrophe to happen. Under current circumstances govt. is doing what it can a) to calm down the tension b) get all the leaders on board and make sure they take control of their people c) ensure the safety of its citizens buy not letting this violence spread in other parts of the country. If having mobile phones shut down too much of a hassle then I say tough luck kids.
Curfewstan !
Thank you shahbaz sharif for your valuable advice! Its good to know you are handling the situation! Go mini sher!
Make different country for shia muslims just like for muslims of India for peace.........
Old habit die hard: It appears that some Electricity Board official who was used to enforcing load shedding has moved to telecom ministry and keeps on cutting cellphone service (load shedding) at whim or flimsy excuse.
Two nations theory: This week in one nation news was-the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) or Mangalyaan completed a fifth and last repositioning to take it almost two lakh km from Earth successfully on Saturday morning, Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) said.Whereas in the other nations news is- people did not had basic cell phone service or you tube.
A small reminder to Imran Khan and Sheikh Rasheed who are criticizing the government that you are the part of the problem as well. Imran Khan you are a MNA of Rawalpindi constituency along with Sheikh Rasheed and in fact most of the seats were won by PTI and it is not only a failure of Administration but also of the Political figures of Pindi. How many times did Imran Khan visited his constituency in many months and what does he know the ground situation here??
Failure of government. Totally wrong decisions, if they would have tightened the security thinking that today is friday then it would not had happened. Secondly, people were unable to contact with each other because of the blockage of signals that was also a goverment fault. One more thing that i observed, our army can better perform in curfews rather than at the borders. It's all about accountability. Government should make such policies with the help of which such incidents can be stopped in the future likewise army should be so strong that they don't let anyone cross our borders and kill our people. We should be the one who can resolve the issues of tribal areas by dialogue rather than asking or allowing other countries to interfere in our affairs. And if they don't stop then i suggest our army to have a war with them. We are with you. I personally want to die instead of living such a life where we can't protect our brothers and sisters. Remember a lion's life of one day is better than hundred years of jackal..