MIANWALI: At least two men were killed and over 30 others were injured in the clash that occurred between two sectarian groups in Kalabagh Town on Monday over route of a Chehlum procession.

According to official sources, the deceased were identified as Ali, son of Barkatullah, a resident of Mari, and Daleel Abbas, son of Aqeel Abbas, a resident of Kukranwala.

As per Rescue 1122 sources, more than 30 persons with bullet injuries were shifted to Kalabagh THQ Hospital. Of them, 26 were later rushed to Mianwali DHQ Hospital by Rescue 1122 ambulances and two were referred to a Rawalpindi hospital given their critical condition.

The DHQ hospital sources told Dawn that 26 injured persons are being provided best available treatment and hopefully seven of them will be discharged within a day or two.

IGP, home secy visit the troubled town; Section 144 imposed in Mianwali district

The local sources said that the crossfire between the two sides started on Monday evening and lasted till late in the night.

Meanwhile, on the call of local trader bodies, the markets remained close in Kalabagh Town on Tuesday and police contingents and Rangers kept patrolling the area to avert any untoward incident.

Given the sensitivity of the situation, the Punjab government has imposed Section 144 in Mianwali district, while on behalf of the Counter Terrorism Department an FIR of the incident has been registered on charges of murder, attempted murder and terrorism against many nominated and unidentified persons.

Meanwhile, Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr Usman Anwar and Home Secretary Noorul Amin Mengal, along with a team of religious scholars, on Tuesday visited Mianwali and Kalabagh.

Mufti Raghib Naeemi, Chairman of Islamic Ideology Council, Hafiz Zubair Hassan, Divisional Peace Committee Lahore, Deputy Principal of Jamia Ashrafia Lahore, Qasim Ali Qasmi from Jamia Al-Muntazir Model Town , Lahore, were also among the ulema who accompanied the IGP and Punjab home secretary.

During the visit, the IGP and the home secretary held separate meetings with local leaders of rival sectarian groups and the members of the district peace committee and advised them to stick to their commitment to maintain peace in the area.

The leaders of both sects pledged to abide by the agreement they had signed in the presence of the district peace committee a couple of days ago, with regard to the route of the Chehlum procession. The leaders blamed some miscreants for igniting the clash.

Locals, expressing concern over the clash, criticised the performance of police and law enforcement agencies, which failed to check the miscreants in the processions who were carrying arms.

Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2024