KARACHI, Jan 19: A mosque survived attempts made by some people to demolish its boundary walls in Landhi on Friday evening, but the assailants managed to set ablaze a nearby marriage lawn, a government vehicle and two cigarette cabins.

Tension gripped 36-B area of the vicinity when over thousand protestors, mainly youngsters, took to streets against the construction of boundary walls around Markazi Masjid Asna Ashri.

Eye-witnesses said the police had to resort to fire teargas shells as the unruly protestors set ablaze Murtaza Marriage Lawn, two cabins and a Suzuki Hi-roof belonging to the town municipal administration. They said the violent activities started after Asr prayers when the protestors took to streets, shouted slogans and pelted some houses with stones against the construction of boundary walls. “The protesters could not get near to the mosque due to the presence of law enforcers,” they said.

Heavy contingents of police and Rangers took positions in the affected area to avert violence.

A fire engine rushed to the affected area and extinguished the fire at marriage hall, cabins and the vehicle. A fire department official said the miscreants also pelted the fire engine with stones breaking its windowpanes.

Area people said the tension had been prevailing in the neighbourhood since Monday when the caretakers of the mosque started construction of boundary wall around it. They said the incidents of stoning were also reported on Thursday night and the police intensified its presence in the area.

Mirza Javed, a member of mosque’s managing committee, told Dawn that the violent activities started after Salim Abbas Naqshbandi of the Sunni Tehrik delivered a provocative speech before Juma. “Salim Naqshbandi had come to us three days ago and he had demanded demolition of the boundary wall. But, we showed him all the documents which he said were bogus,” he added.

DIG Operations Mushtaq Shah said the situation was still tense as the protesters demanded demolition of the boundary walls. “The situation has, however, eased out for the moment as the protestors will meet governor tomorrow (Saturday) to sort out the issue,” he added.

Imtiaz Alam, area councillor, told Dawn that the Masjid Asna Ashri was established in 1964-65 and since then prayers were being offered there regularly. “The boundary walls have been constructed on the land owned by the mosque,” he added.

The councillor said the protestors targeted the properties of the Shiites. “They set on fire the decoration pieces at the marriage lawn and a cabin, owned by Ali Mohammed,” he added.

Imtiaz Alam said arrangements were being made for a wedding ceremony scheduled at the marriage lawn for Friday evening when the protestors attacked it.

He also claimed that the houses of some people were stoned in the neighbourhood. “The protesters also misbehaved with children and womenfolk in certain lanes of the vicinity,” he added.

However, the protesters claimed that the land belonged to the adjacent Government Boys Asif School and the mosque caretakers had erected the walls illegally.

A caretaker of the mosque told Dawn that the ownership rights of the mosque was challenged by the opponents in the court of Civil Judge Gulshan Ara Chandio, who had given the verdict in favour of the mosque. “We were given the rights on less than half of the plot, while the remaining land was allotted to the school,” he added.

The caretaker, who did not wish to be named, said the home adviser was intimated before starting the construction work on Monday. “He asked us to go ahead after we showed him the relevant documents,” he added.

The mosque caretakers carried out the construction of the boundary walls as a sizeable contingent of police was deputed to avoid any law and order situation.

Police said they had not registered any case against anyone for the violent activities so far. “We have reinforced our deployment in the area,” they said.

An area resident said the members of his sect were in minority in the vicinity. “We are feeling scared though law enforcers have brought the situation under control,” he said.