MUZAFFARGARH, Sept 18: A man was killed and eight others were injured during an alleged exchange of firing between activists of two sectarian groups near Punjnad in Ali Pur tehsil, about 80 kilometres away from here, on Sunday.

Sources said that Malik Ishaq, a leader of a banned outfit, Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), was coming from Rahim Yar Khan to attend a session in Ali Pur when police refused to allow him enter Muzaffargarh’s district territory.

When Ishaq’s supporters came to know about his interception at Panjnad, they rushed to the scene to get him freed from police and to accord him warm welcome.

SSP activists allegedly started chanting slogan and also resorted to aerial firing when they were passing through a locality short of Panjnad that is populated largely by followers of Shia sect.

Taking aerial firing as a potential attack, activists of Tehreek-i-Jafferia (TJ) allegedly opened fire in retaliation, injuring nine of the SSP activists. One of the injured men, identified as Mahboob Sithari, succumbed to his bullet wounds while the remaining ones were sent to Nishtar Hospital in Multan. The SSP activists also reportedly opened fire on TJ activists.

The residents of Ali Pur later blocked the main highway for several hours and set ablaze 10 motorcycles and a petrol pump.

SDPO Khalid Rauf confirmed the death of one person in the sudden clash.

DCO Tahir Khursheed said that DPO Munir Zia was investigating the incident and police were conducting raids to arrest the suspects.

No case has been registered against any one till the filing of this report. Ishaq was reportedly sent back to Rahim Yar Khan.