RAWALPINDI: Situation in parts of the city of Rawalpindi remained tense on Monday following the lifting of a curfew which was imposed after a clash between members of the Sunni and Shia communities on Friday that left 10 dead.
According to DawnNews, the army had taken control of Rawalpindi's Rawal Town once again and Section 144 remained imposed in the garrison city.
Traders in the city also staged a protest demanding that the administration compensate for the losses incurred by them during the Friday clash.
Shops in the city’s Raja Bazaar, Gawalmandi and Murree Road areas had also been closed.
Moreover, the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) in Rawalpindi announced that examinations scheduled for 2 pm today stood postponed.
The district administration also restricted the sale of petrol for motorcycles.
On Friday, a curfew was imposed in the city and the army was called in to take control after at least 10 people were killed and 56 others were injured during clashes that took place between members of the Sunni and Shia communities as an Ashura procession was passing in front of a seminary in Rawalpindi's Raja Bazaar area.
The curfew was lifted early on Monday after which schools and offices were scheduled to reopen.
Committee to probe Friday clash
The Punjab government has constituted a three-member fact-finding committee to probe the Friday incident in the garrison city.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, the provincial law minister said the committee would present its report in 48 hours' time.
The fact-finding committee has also been formed with the task to interrogate junior to senior level police officials, he said, adding that those found involved in negligence will be disciplined as per rules.
He alleged that the clash was the result of a conspiracy.
Deploring the loss of precious lives in the incident, the provincial minister said the death toll has risen to 10 with the expiry of one injured today in the hospital. Fifty-six others were injured in the incident.
Sanaullah has said the government was assessing the damage to property in the Rawalpindi incident to pay compensation to those affected. — DawnNews/Agencies
