CHINIOT, Aug 8: As many as 152 people were arrested out of 350 booked under terrorism charges here on Wednesday following sectarian tension and aerial firing by two groups on Tuesday night.

According to the FIR registered by city police, the clash came when an Iftar party was going on at Jamia Masjid Siddique Akbar where chief of defunct Lashkar-i-Jhangavi Malik Ishaq was the chief guest.

The FIR says some participant raised slogans which were responded to by the people belonging to another sect from outside the mosque. Some guards present inside resorted to aerial firing, while it is said that Malik Ishaq quickly departed.

Meanwhile, a police contingent arrived on the spot. The police dispersed the crowd and made a large number of arrests.

There were allegations that the mosque was fired upon later in the evening. Following the incident, the area remained gripped by tension and the police patrols were out. The local residents blamed the police for delay and inaction.

A police source said the cases had been registered against the people booked and arrested under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

The district police officer was not available for his comments.