11 November 2004	Thursday	27 Ramazan 1425

KARACHI, Nov 10: Shops and markets remained closed and tension gripped parts of Shah Faisal Colony on Wednesday in the aftermath of a clash between two groups which claimed three lives late on Tuesday night.

Enraged people lit bonfire on the streets and disrupted vehicular movement on main roads in protest against the killings. They also torched a taxi, a rickshaw and a motorcycle, besides a shop and the unit office 108 of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement. However, police rushed to the troubled spots and brought the situation under control.

Those killed in the Tuesday night clash included two activists of a religious party. They were identified as Khalid Mehmood, 27, and Kamran Manzoor, 23.

Sunni Tehrik claimed that Khalid and Kamran were the members of its sector committee. The third victim was a passerby, identified as Shahab, who was caught in the crossfire. Police said that another four persons were injured in the clash.

The cause of the clash turned out to be a dispute between two youths, one affiliated with the Sunni Tehrik and the other with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement.

Shah Faisal town police officer Abdullah Sheikh said that some people were sitting in Aitekaf in the Allahwali mosque in block-5 of the area. Among them were two youths belonging to Deobandi sect and some others to Sunni Tehrik. However, the mosque itself does not belong to Sunni Tehrik.

Violence broke out following a dispute between the ST supporters and the followers of Deobandi sect, the latter being also affiliated with the Muttahida. The TPO said that the clash was actually between the workers of the Sunni Tehrik and Muttahida.

On Wednesday morning, he added, enraged people set the Muttahida unit office on fire. He said that Sharea Faisal remained open as the protesters did not turn up on the main artery.

Residents of the area said that the entire locality was in the grip of tension since morning.

Heavy deployment of police and Rangers was made in the troubled area and police vans carried out patrolling throughout the day.