MULTAN/BAHAWALNAGAR, Nov 17: One of the injured in Saturday’s clashes in Multan succumbed to his wounds at the Nishtar Hospital as uneasy calm prevailed in the city on Sunday.

The deceased was identified as Muhammad Waris, 15, a resident of Mohallah Khokhran. He had received a bullet injury at Chowk Clock Tower during the clashes between police and protesters.

The funeral prayers for the deceased were offered at Aam Khas Bagh. It was attended by the members of peace committee, high-ups of the district administration, ex-Minister Haji Ehsanuddin and Punjab Minister for Prisons Chaudhry Waheed Arrain. Army and police contingents guarded the place.

Though the situation remained peaceful on Sunday, a large number of police and army troops remained present at the sensitive places like Chowk Clock Tower, Daulat Gate, Masoom Shah Road, Nala Wali Muhammad, Chowk Shaheedan and Railway Road. Shops remained shut and there was no business activity in major markets of the areas where the situation was tense.

A meeting of peace committee was held at Madrassa Khairul Miaad, Qila Kuhna Qasim Bagh that was also attended by Punjab Minister for Prisons Ch Abdul Waheed Arrain, Commissioner Syed Ali Murtaza, District Coordination Officer Zahid Saleem Gondal, Regional Police Officer Muhammad Amin Wains and City Police Officer Chaudhry Sultan Ahmad.

The meeting condemned the Saturday’s incidents and decided to continue efforts for peace and harmony among sects. It urged the district government to ensure the ban on loudspeakers.

A meeting of the Shia Ulema Council also condemned the clashes while saying that no one would be allowed to disturb peace in the city and all possible efforts would be made to maintain law and order.

Talking to Dawn, DCO Zahid Saleem Gondal said the government would give the compensation of Rs500,000 to the deceased’s family while Rs75,000 each would be given to those with serious injuries and Rs25,000 to those with minor ones. He said fire was opened on police and administration officials and action would be taken against those responsible.

“We have got the video of the riots and the responsible people would be identified with the help of the video footage and administration while all the members of peace committee have also assured their cooperation in this regard,” he said.

District Bar Association President Mumtaz Noor Tangra said the lawyers would observe a strike on Monday (today) to protest the government negligence in the incidents of Rawalpindi and Multan.

Meanwhile, more than 60 people were arrested over ransacking public properties and riots in Chishtian and they were shifted to an anonymous place. The army and the Rangers’ presence halted any protest on Sunday.

The public representatives expressed apprehensions over the arrests, however, the administration assured them that only the responsible elements would be taken to the task while the innocent would be released.

Bahawalpur RPO Shahid Hanif, Commissioner Capt (retd) Asad, Bahawalnagar DCO Irshad Hussain (who assumed the charge of his office yesterday) and DPO Athar Ismail held a meeting and discussed the ways to restore peace in Chishtian.

After the meeting, both the RPO and commissioner left for Bahawalpur last night while DCO and DPO were holding talks with the public representatives in Chishtian till the filing of this report. However, patrol of the army and Rangers restricted protest. Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam tehsil president and member peace committee Hafiz Siraj Ahmad Akhon and leaders of traders associations held DSP Sadar Chishtian Anwar Chishti and SHO Arshad Zaman Rateka responsible for the clashes in the city. They demanded of the police high-ups to take action against the police officers and release the innocent.

The Bahawalnagar DCO, DPO and ADC Bahawalnagar Manzar Javed while talking to the delegation of traders and Ulema at Chishtian said restoration of peace was their top priority and the mistakes at the end of administration would not be repeated.