January 28, 2008	Monday	Muharram 18, 1429

FAISALABAD, Jan 27: Sensing ire and foreseeing protests by Shia community over the registration of a case against at least 55 mourners on Youm-i-Ashur day on Jan 20, the local police have constituted a six-member committee consisting of members of the peace committee to probe charges reported in the FIR, sources told Dawn on Sunday.

Shias held first protest congregation at Imambargah Haider-i-Karar, Sattiana Road, on Sunday and decided launching a protest drive against the local police which had booked dozens of mourners under various sections of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) and the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) without launching a formal inquiry into the incident.

However, the protesters dispersed after an hour when members of the Shia Action Committee were informed about the formation of the inquiry committee.

The Batala Colony police registered the case against 55 mourners on Jan 21 on charges of damaging public property, disgracing a mosque, resorting to aerial firing and disrupting peace and tranquillity in Fateh Abad area when they were not allowed to take out an Ashura procession.

The committee formed on Sunday consists of Sheikh Taj Mehmood, Qari Afzal Qadri, Maulana Amjad Ali Amjad, Qari Hanif Bhatti and Jaffar Naqvi.

Sources said the committee would submit its report within 15 days and fate of the case would be decided in the light of its findings.