Summary Tense situation prevails in Bhakkar and other adjoining areas.
ISLAMABAD (AP) – The death toll from Friday s clash between two religious groups mounted to 12 while strict indefinite curfew, starting from 10:00AM, was imposed in Bhakkar and other restive districts on Saturday as the environment continues to remain hostile.
The clashes between the Ahle Sunnat Waljamaat members and the Shiites happened in the town of Bhakkar in Punjab province, police official Abdullah Khan said.
The conflict followed a protest rally held by the Sunnis after one of their members was gunned down while closing his shop.
Meanwhile, the curfew will remain enforced until further orders in Bhakkar, Darya Khan, Kotla Jam, Panj Garaeen, and Kahawar Kalan as these districts are most vulnerable to violence.
The Executive District Officer (EDO) Education Qazi Zahoor Hussain said that all the institutes would remain closed in the cities under curfew, areas.
District Police Officer, Sarfaraz Falki told that additional contingents of police and Rangers had been deployed in the restive districts.
Pakistan has experienced worsening sectarian violence in recent years, especially attacks targeting Shiites.
Also Friday, gunmen on a motorcycle opened fire outside a Sunni seminary on the outskirts of the capital, Islamabad, killing two people and wounding a third, police official Mohammad Bashir said.
