KOHAT, Jan 19: Army took control of the Hangu district after talks between two religious communities failed to resolve a row over the route of an Ashura procession on Saturday.

NWFP IGP Mohammad Sharif Virk, Home Secretary Badshah Gul Wazir and Chief Secretary Sahibzada Riaz Noor held separate meetings with the representatives of both communities to arrive at an understanding but left here for Peshawar without any decision.

The army took control of the city and the Frontier Constabulary was deployed at all exit and entry points.

However, a jirga was still in progress in the office of the Hangu Superintendent of Police to resolve the issue to finalise the procession route. Three members were representing each community in talks with Hangu SP Ghulam Mohammad.

The Sunni side was represented by Aslam Farooqui of the Ahle Sunnat wal Jamaat, former MNA Mohammad Afzal and Haji Mehrban while the Shia side was represented by Malik Jamal Hassan, Syed Wasih Syed and Malik Noor Jaffar.