Administrations of districts across Punjab on Wednesday reported peaceful Ashura with isolated lapses in management and security in Multan and Sargodha.
In Sargodha, two people were killed and eight others were injured when two groups exchanged firing over a dispute over a procession route on Ashura.
Sargodha District Coordination Officer Saqib Manan told newsmen on Wednesday that participants of a procession passing by a mosque in Farooqa village had argued with some passersby.
He said some men brandished weapons and open fire near Terkhanawala police station.
Manan said Chaudhary Abdul Rehman and Rana Asrshad died on the spot. He said Yousaf Shah, Kamran, Hassan, Zubair Hameed, Ghulam Muhammad, Rana Abid, Hameed and Faisal were taken to Sargodha District Headquarters Hospital with serious injuries.
Following the incident, some residents of the area staged a protest and chanted slogans against the district administrations and the police for failing to maintain security in the area.
They also set three motorbikes and a tractor on fire at Noori Gate.
A delegation comprising District Police Officer Raja Basharat Mehmood, the DCO and Parliamentary Secretary Sahibzada Nizammuddin Sialvi and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz youth wing divisional vice president Rana Muhammad Sarwar reached the spot and met with the protesters. Security of the area was handed over to Pakistan Army on the appeal of citizens.
The DCO said cases under the Anti-Terrorism Act had been registered against 41 people at the request of families of the injured and the deceased. He termed the incident security failure and said it could have been avoided if the procession route had been planned well.
He said 14 people had been arrested in overnight raids following the incident. He said they were taken to undisclosed locations.
In Multan, 16 people were injured during a major procession.
The fight broke out between two groups on Tuesday and they threw stones at one another.
Police and the district administration tried to resolve the matter and later called in Pakistan Army and Rangers to contain the situation.
Two were FIRs were registered against one known and 50 unidentified assailants.
In Faisalabad, Divisional Commissioner Captain (r) Nasim Nawaz, Regional Police Officer (RPO) Ehsan Tufail, District Coordination Officer (DCO) Noorul Amin Mengal and City Police Officer (CPO) Suhail Tajak visited various procession and majalis sites to review security arrangements.
They monitored security through a control room set up to supervise Ashura processions and gatherings.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Mengal thanked clerics, traders and representatives of the civil society for cooperating with police and the district administration.
He also appreciated the role of peace committees.
Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (FESCO) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Rashid Ahmad Aslam in a statement that co complaints regarding load shedding had been received during the first 10 days of Muharram. He said 90 feeders had been exempted from load management.
In Bahawalpur, Minister for Cooperative Malik Muhammad Iqbal Channar reviewed the processions and public gatherings.
As many as 209 mourning processions and 80 public gatherings were held in Bahalwapur.
Bahawalpur Emergency Director Malik Asif Rahim Channar said Rescue 1122 had provided first aid to 181 people and took 29 people to Bahawal Victoria Hospital.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 6th, 2014.
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