ISLAMABAD: Though Muharram is yet to start, tension between two groups erupted in the capital’s rural area which led to the registration of cases against both.

According to the police, Azkar Hussain, a resident of Burma Town, had organised a Majlis and procession on Sunday evening but the locals from the other group objected to it.

Supporters of Ahle Sunnat wal Jamaat (ASWJ) gathered in the area to protest against the Majlis and later intercepted the procession.

The police reached the spot and found out that Azkar Hussain had not taken permission from the capital administration to organise the Majlis and take out the procession.

A police officer, on the condition of anonymity, told Dawn: “When the police reached the area, they found both the groups face to face.”

Since religious sentiments were attached with the procession that already had been taken out, the participants could not turn back,” the officer said. As a result, the police dispersed the other group members who later gathered on Lehtrar Road and blocked it in protest.

When asked by the police, the organiser failed to produce the NOC (No-Objection Certificate).

The organiser told the police that he had applied for the NOC but so far it had not been issued by the administration.

“I followed the law and fulfilled all the requirements to get the NOC, and only then did I organise the Majlis and procession,” he told the police, adding that it was the responsibility of the administration to issue the NOC.

“The objection of the locals over the Majlis and procession was also justified as it was illegal,” the police officer said, adding they intercepted the procession taken out without the NOC.

Later, separate cases were registered against both the groups, he added. The first case – FIR 525 – was registered against the organiser.

The second FIR – No 527 – was registered against Maulana Asif Usmani, Mufti Rizwan, Maulana Mohammad Ali, Mufti Ghulam Farid, Mufti Liaquat Ali and Maulana Shakeel along with 60 unidentified people.

However, no arrest was made in connection with the cases registered with the Shahzad Town police on the complaints of SHO Abdul Sattar.

Published in Dawn, October 21st , 2014