MANSEHRA, Feb 6: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl lawmaker Mufti Kifayatullah and another cleric were charged with the murder of a man, who was killed in exchange fire between two religious groups on Eid Miladul Nabi here on Sunday.

Mohammad Waseem, an employee of education department, was killed and 10 other persons sustained critical injuries in the firing incident outside Sunari Mosque in Loharbanda area at Karakoram Highway. Police on written complaint of Maulana Abdul Malik lodged FIR against MPA Mufti Kafaitullah and Maulana Fazal Bari.

Maulana Abdul Malik in his FIR stated that Maulana Abdul Bari fired at procession after being instigated by MPA Mufti Kifayatullah, who was present inside the mosque when the incident occurred and Mohammad Waseem was killed instantly.

Eyewitnesses said that tension gripped the area in the morning when one of the groups made announcement through loudspeaker, asking people to come and restrict mobility of procession outside the mosque while the other blocked the Karakoram Highway for over two hours. Both the groups had targeted each others with bricks and stones in 2011.

Eyewitness said that police restricted one of groups from proceeding towards Sunari Mosque but it breached the cordon as a result of which both sides exchanged fire.

"Now situation is under complete control and law would take its due course against those involved in the killing," District Police Officer Ijaz Ahmad Khan told journalists. - Correspondent