KARACHI, Oct 10: The funeral prayer of Mufti Jameel Ahmed Khan was offered at the Binnori Town mosque here on Sunday afternoon and he was laid to rest in a local graveyard. He had been shot dead along with an associate, Maulana Nazeer Taunsvi, on Saturday evening.

A group of angry protesters and security forces clashed after the funeral prayer. Police fired teargas shells and resorted to baton-charge to disperse the mob.

The Namaz-i-Janaza of Mufti Jameel was led by Dr Abdul Razzaque Iskandar, principal of the Binnori Town mosque, and was attended by a large number of people, including Maulana Fazlur Rehman,Hafiz Hussain Ahmed, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidery, Shoaib Ahmed Bukhari, Maulana Asa'ad Thanvi and Syed Munawar Hasan.

Chief of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Maulana Fazlur Rehman while addressing the mourners blamed the administration for the deaths of Mufti Jameel and Maulana Taunsvi and said that the government had failed to maintain law and order and provide security to the people. He appealed to the followers of Mufti Jameel and the people at large to remain calm and peaceful and exercise restraint.

After the prayer, the funeral procession went to the Scout Colony, off Abul Hasan Isphani Road, where Mufti Jameel was laid to rest beside the grave of Maulana Yusuf Ludhianvi and Mufti Nizamuddin Shamzai.

Earlier, the body of Maulana Nazeer Taunsvi was dispatched to Taunsa Sharif in Dera Ghazi Khan district. Some enraged people gathered at the Guru Mandir intersection after the funeral prayer and resorted to pelting stones at the security personnel. They also set tyres on fire on the road.

Personnel of law-enforcement agencies had already closed roads leading to the Guru Mandir intersection by placing containers. The road was opened for traffic after protestors dispersed in the evening.

Two vehicles were reported to be burnt in Shah Faisal Colony No 1. Fire brigade sources said that an unruly mob had intercepted the vehicles and set them on fire. They also pelted stones on other vehicles and forced shopkeepers to close their shops. Later, the situation was brought under control after police reached the area.