ABBOTTABAD: Tensions eased in Abbottabad city on the second day of violence on Thursday after the administration promised to arrest the relevant DSP and SHO over the killing of a man and hold a judicial inquiry into it.

Earlier in the day, the DSP and SHO were suspended over the killing of resident Mohammad Naeem in the alleged police firing on Wednesday.

The promise was made during talks held between local residents led by Waseem Khan Jadoon and administration led by provincial information minister Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani.

During the talks, the two sides agreed that Jhugian, as the local Bara Market is known, would remain closed until June 7 and that violence suspects would be tried in the anti-terrorist court.

They also decided that an operation to arrest rioters and policemen responsible for the killing would begin immediately.

Relevant DSP, SHO to be arrested; judicial inquiry to be held into violence

After talks succeeded, protesters ended the 10 hours blockage of Abbottabad-Murree Road, Karakorum Highway and other local roads to traffic.

Also, bazaars and shops, which were forcefully closed, reopened.

The violence, which claimed one life and left eight injured, began after residents and traders clashed over the parking of a car in Bara Market.

On Wednesday, another resident, Bilal Khan, suffered injuries when mourners resorted to road blockades in the city and torched shops after attending funeral prayer of Mohammad Naeem, who died in the alleged police firing.

Earlier, minister Mushtaq Ahmed Ghani, who rushed to the city to ease tensions, said the Abbottabad DSP and Nawanshehr SHO had been suspended in light of initial inquiry into the killing.

Assisted by MNA Dr Azhar Khan Jadoon and Major-General (r) Ayaz Jadoon led the administration during several rounds of talks with protesters.

During the talks, protesters blocked the city’s all major roads, including Abbottabad-Murree Road, Karakoram Highway and Kihal Road, for around nine hours paralysing life.

They set old tyres on fire and placed concrete blocks and large stones on the roads blocking roads for traffic.

The protesters also set some shops and a bakery on Abbottabad-Murree Road.

Published in Dawn, May 22nd, 2015

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