JHANG, Oct 6: Tension prevailed in the town as reports of Millat Islamia Pakistan (formerly Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan) chief Maulana Azam Tariq’s assassination reached here on Monday.

Most of the markets were closed in the evening whereas MIP’s local chapter and Anjuman Tajran gave a strike call for Tuesday (today) to mourn the killings. In a couple of incidents, youths riding motorcycles did try to pull down the shutters of some shops forcibly.

A Frontier Constabulary contingent based here since long was deployed in the town besides the police force. A district government official said troops were also on their way from the Gujranwala Cantonment to beef up security in Jhang which has been the centre of sectarian tension and violence during the last over a decade.

Piplanwali area which also housed the SSP headquarters was more tense where people confined themselves to their houses. Elsewhere in the town movement on roads was very thin after 8pm.

The slain MNA will be buried in Jamia Mahmoodia in Satellite Town.

Azam Tariq took over the SSP command after the assassination of Maulana Ziaur Rehman Farooqui in early 90s. During his leadership, the SSP underwent a visible change, mainly after the formation of its breakaway Lashkar-i-Jhangvi group.

During the election for the Jhang Nazim, the SSP supported Asad Hayat, the brother of Interior Minister Faisal Saleh Hayat, who represents the Shia community.

Meanwhile, Millat Islamia Pakistan gave a strike call in Faisalabad and Toba Tek Singh districts on Tuesday, reports our Faisalabad correspondent.

Talking to newsmen here on Monday, MIP divisional convener Habeebur Rehman condemned the killings.

He said complete shutterdown strike would be observed in Faisalabad, Jhang and Toba Tek Singh.

Security was also beefed up in Faisalabad and its rural areas by the local police.

GUJRANWALA: Over 200 SSP activists blocked the GT Road after 10pm on Monday to protest the assassination of their leader MNA Azam Tariq.

The protesters gathered at Sialkot Chowk from where they moved to Shernwala Bagh. The road blockade was on till 12.30am.

They pelted stones on a number of vehicles and caused considerable damage to two cars.