ISLAMABAD - Eleven were killed when members of two sectarian groups clashed on Friday in Bhakkar. Six people died on the spot while five others, hurt in the clash, succumbed to injuries later.
The clash was between Ahle Sunnat Waljamaat (ASWJ) members and a Shia group in the town, police official Abdullah Khan said.People were killed on both sides, Khan said. The conflict followed a protest rally by ASWJ over the killing of one of their members. Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has taken notice of the clash.
The Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen condemned the clashes and declared three days of mourning.
On the other hand, three people including curator of a seminary were killed in the suburbs of capital Islamabad when gunmen opened indiscriminate firing at the madrassa late Friday, police officials said.
The Madinatul Ilm madrassa, belonging to Deoband sect of Islam, is situated by the Islamabad Highway. Shabih Ahmed, the SP of Islamabad’s rural circle, said the incident took place when people were coming out of the mosque, situated next to the madrassa, after night prayers.
According to Ahmed, madrassa curator Qari Mohammad Arif among other local people was standing outside the mosque after offering prayers when two unknown gunmen riding a motorcycle opened indiscriminate firing on them. Qari Arif, madrassa student Mohammad Shakir and a worshiper identified as Darwesh were killed on the spot, he added. Police have initiated an investigation into the incident but not before getting involved in a squabble about jurisdiction. Rawalpindi and Islamabad police had argued about exact location of the madrassa.
Meanwhile, a man and his two-year old son were injured in another firing incident outside a mosque situated in Sector-F-8-2 of the federal capital. Police said a probe into the incident was underway.
Pakistan has experienced worsening sectarian violence in recent years, especially attacks by radical groups.