MANSEHRA, Feb 25: Unidentified assailants attempted to desecrate a mosque in Batgram on Wednesday, while a group of people opened fire on a Madressah of MMA MNA Qari Mohammad Yousaf on Tuesday night.

According to police sources, two prayer mats were burnt, in the attack on the mosque, Jama Masjid Siddique-i-Akbar, but the building was saved from damage by local people. The Batgram police have registered two separate FIRs against the unidentified culprits and started investigation.

It may be mentioned that another mosque, Jamia Masjid Ahl-i-Hadith, was desecrated allegedly by JUI-F workers in Batgram last month. Three local leaders of the JUI-F, Maulana Najmuddin, Maulana Khurshid Ahmad and Qazi Khalil Ahmad, have been arrested in this connection.

The ulema of Ahl-i-Hadith sect have accused the provincial government of patronizing those who desecrated the mosque. Qari Mohammad Yousaf, on the other hand, has alleged that a peaceful procession of JUI-F workers was fired upon by the Ahl-i-Hadith people.