Sunday, November 17, 2013

No relaxation in Rawalpindi curfew: Punjab govt

Spokesperson for the Punjab government announced on Sunday that there would be no relaxation in the curfew imposed in Rawalpindi on Friday night following a clash between two groups that had claimed at least nine lives, DawnNews reported. The spokesperson, while making the announcement, also urged the residents of the city to remain indoors. Moreover, Section 144 of the law was also imposed in the city in addition to the already imposed curfew. Funeral of the victims of the violence that took place on Friday will be held today and in order to avoid any untoward incident authorities had again imposed a curfew in the city on Saturday after a four-hour relaxation. Cellphone service began partial resumption in the federal capital city of Islamabad. The Nazim of Wafaqul Madaris Arabia Pakistan (WMAP) Qari Hanif Jalandhari said that the further course of action to be taken in relation to the bloodshed in Rawalpindi would be announced today. The Army was called in to take control and curfew was imposed in the city after at least nine people were killed and 44 others were injured during clashes that took place between two groups as an Ashura procession was passing in front of a seminary in Rawalpindi's Raja Bazar area on Friday (10th Muharram). Furthermore, cellphone services in the city also stood suspended as the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) announced that the resumption of cellphone services was conditional to the improvement of the city's law and order situation. Moreover, Chief Minister Pujab Shahbaz Sharif arrived in Rawalpindi and sought a meeting of the city's administrators. The federal capital city of Islamabad was also put on a security high alert and all exit and entry points to the city were put under strict vigilance. Security was heightened at mosques and other places of worship whereas cellphone service were also suspended in the city. Clashes had also erupted on Saturday in Punjab's Multan and Chishtian cities. At least 25 people were injured in Multan alone during the clashes after which the Army was called in to take control of the situation.

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