Damage control: After jirga assurance, govt lifts Kohat curfew today
Section 144 would remain imposed on public gatherings, processions and protests in the district.
Flames rise from shops torched during clashes in Kohat. PHOTO: ONLINE
KOHAT:
A jirga convened by the district administration successfully concluded on Tuesday after sectarian clashes erupted in the city, claiming two lives and injuring three others.
According to Kohat Commissioner Jamaluddin, the curfew which was imposed on Monday afternoon and continued throughout Tuesday should be lifted by Wednesday morning.
The commissioner convened the jirga of clerics in his office. DIG Kohat Ishtiaq Marwat, DPO Saleem Marwat, District Commissioner Amjid Ali and Assistant Commissioner Muhammad Sajid were also present. The jirga went on from 10am to 3pm. After that,the curfew was relaxed for two hours.
Former chief justice of the Peshawar High Court Syed Ibn-e-Ali and Haji Javaid Ibrahim Paracha condemned the sectarian violence in the city. They said the skirmishes were not spurred by either group and that militants were responsible for the attacks. The elders told the commissioner that both the sects were committed to maintaining peace in the region; however, unknown militants who pretended to be protestors burnt shops, injured people and damaged public property. They added that they would cooperate with the government in catching those responsible.
Jamaluddin appreciated the struggle of the elders for restoration of peace in the region and promised to lift the curfew on Wednesday morning. He added that section 144 would remain imposed on public gatherings, processions and protests in the district and would be lifted after complete restoration of peace.
The commissioner also said four suspected militants were arrested during a search operation and a huge cache of arms was recovered.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 20th, 2013.
A jirga convened by the district administration successfully concluded on Tuesday after sectarian clashes erupted in the city, claiming two lives and injuring three others.
According to Kohat Commissioner Jamaluddin, the curfew which was imposed on Monday afternoon and continued throughout Tuesday should be lifted by Wednesday morning.
The commissioner convened the jirga of clerics in his office. DIG Kohat Ishtiaq Marwat, DPO Saleem Marwat, District Commissioner Amjid Ali and Assistant Commissioner Muhammad Sajid were also present. The jirga went on from 10am to 3pm. After that,the curfew was relaxed for two hours.
Former chief justice of the Peshawar High Court Syed Ibn-e-Ali and Haji Javaid Ibrahim Paracha condemned the sectarian violence in the city. They said the skirmishes were not spurred by either group and that militants were responsible for the attacks. The elders told the commissioner that both the sects were committed to maintaining peace in the region; however, unknown militants who pretended to be protestors burnt shops, injured people and damaged public property. They added that they would cooperate with the government in catching those responsible.
Jamaluddin appreciated the struggle of the elders for restoration of peace in the region and promised to lift the curfew on Wednesday morning. He added that section 144 would remain imposed on public gatherings, processions and protests in the district and would be lifted after complete restoration of peace.
The commissioner also said four suspected militants were arrested during a search operation and a huge cache of arms was recovered.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 20th, 2013.