Clash between rival sects averted

Published May 26, 2008

SIALKOT, May 25: The Pasrur police on Sunday intervened to avert a likely clash between two rival sects over a mosque’s ownership dispute in village Ban Bajwa and sealed the worship place to avoid any eventuality.

Followers of the Hanfi Brailvi and Ahle Hadith sects claim to own Jamia Masjid Fatimatul Zahra.

On Sunday morning, some unidentified miscreants uprooted the mosque’s signboard, which sparked fury among the followers of both the sects and many of them, suspecting the involvement of their rivals, later gathered on Daska-Pasrur Road at around 10am and started chanting slogans against each other. The protesters equipped with clubs and iron rods also threw traffic out of gear for around one hour after torching tyres.

In the meantime, the police reached there and dispersed the charged demonstrators who were demanding immediate arrest of the miscreants. The police later sealed the mosque to maintain peace and order in the locality. — Correspondent