Mehbooba apprehensive of 'poor coverage' on AIR, DD
Chairman LC held hostage for one hour as
20 injured in PDP-NC clash in Budgam

From Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Mar 22: With the election fever indicating an upswing all over the Valley inspite of the separatist camp's no-no to participation months ahead of the schedule, a triangular clash between the three main political parties---National Conference (NC), People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Congress---appears to be in an advance stage of gestation. While the PDP activists today pulled down and burnt the coalition partner Congress' flags on the highway in Qazigund area, Chairman of Legislative Council and senior PDP leader, Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura, was held hostage by a rival mob for over an hour amid a bitter PDP-NC clash at Nagam township in Budgam district.

Hours before the senior NC leader Abdul Rahim Rather left his official residence in Srinagar to address a rally at Nagam, on Chadoura-Chrar-e-Sharief Road, hundreds of his followers in Chrar-e-Sharief constituency gathered to receive their MLA and former Minister. Around the same time, a number of PDP leaders and activists began movement in the direction of a nearby village, namely Nopora, where the party president Mehbooba Mufti was scheduled to address a rally alongwith her local MLC and Chairman of Legislative Council, Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura, and Minister of State Pir Mohamamd Hussain.

Eyewitnesses told EXCELSIOR that Mr Hanjura's father, Ghulam Mohammad Lone, had an altercation with a group of NC followers, which culminated into a bitter clash. One of Mr Lone's security personnel struck a baton on the head of an NC activist who sustained injuries. With the help of his armed guards, Mr Lone managed to make his way to Nopora. As he was, in a while, followed by son Hanjura, another group of NC activists intercepted the cavalcade and asked the MLC to "chasten your father". It again erupted a verbal clash in which the mob held Mr Hanjura hostage for over an hour and didn't allow him to proceed to his rally at Nopora.

Police swung into action with a baton charge, tearsmoke and firing in air. After the hostile crowds dispersed, Hanjura proceeded to the PDP rally. Sources said that 20 people, including four Police officials, sustained injuries. SSP Budgam, Syed Ashiq Hussain Bukhari, confirmed that about a dozen people sustained minor injuries when Police used the extreme option of baton charge and tearsmoke. He said that Police used the forces against followers of both the warring parties and restored order.

Yet again, a large number of NC activists gathered on the road. They began vowing that they would not allow the PDP president to travel to Nopora via Nagam. Rather than resorting to the use of force again, Mehbooba was advised by Police and party colleagues to take a long detour via Dad-Ompora. She reached the venue of the public rally alongwith Pir Mohammad Hussain and delivered a speech which was more complaining against Congress than the NC.

Mehbooba alleged that "some insiders" in the two ruling coalition from Srinagar to New Delhi had got "frustrated" over the "groundswell of support in favour of our party" and they had conspired to ensure that the PDP did not get any coverage on the official electronic media, notably Radio Kashmir and Doordarshan. She complained that the news editors at Radio Kashmir and DDK Srinagar had been projecting "insignificant meetings of other parties" too prominently but the PDP's "mammoth rallies" were either being "blocked completely" or given extremely poor coverage.

"I don't know whose directions the Doordarshan and Radio Kashmir authorities are following to propagate against the PDP, but this dictatorial approach is going to harm the credibility of these institutions more than causing any damage to the PDP," she said and added that people of the State are watching "this selective image-building" by these institutions and given the comparative fair coverage on private channels and newspapers, these Government-controlled institutions were denting their own credibility.

Ms Mufti said she would take up the issue with the Prasar Bharti and All India Radio authorities in Delhi and, if necessary, raise the matter in the Parliament as well. She, at the same time, made it clear that despite these "cheap-tricks", the PDP's message traveled fast enough to the nook and corner of the State as people had become its voice and they carried forward the party's agenda.

Addressing the rally, Mehbooba said even in the most trying circumstances, the State's young boys and girls had done it proud in whatever field they took a plunge. She said the only area of concern for the youth was the lack of latest technological educational facilities and inadequate job opportunities. She said coming up of three new universities in as many years besides five additional campuses, the State was now to some extent poised to catch up with the emerging economic and educational scenario around us. She said the Central Government's proposed move to declare Jammu & Kashmir a special Educational Zone, as has been demanded by her party time and again, was a welcome step that would revolutionise the State's educational and technical training scenario.

While Ms Mufti was addressing her rally, Mr Rather reached his traditional stronghold of Nagam where he delivered a speech. Even as he asked his supporters to maintain a peaceful atmosphere, a group of people complained to him that the entire scene had been created today by an ex-militant, namely Manzoor, retired Range Officer Ghulam Mohammad Rasli and Hanjura's 80-year-old father. He told them that he would meet the Chief Minister and ask him why a coalition partner of the Government itself was creating law and order problems and vitiating the atmosphere.

Reports said that a bitter ambience was heavy in air even after both the hostile rallies concluded. At Nopora some of the PDP activists went a final round of stone pelting on the houses and shops of some NC followers. At Nagam, one of the NC activists felled his willow as it had, according to him, been "made dirty" with a PDP flag hoisted on it earlier in the day.

While the NC and the PDP followers clashed in Charar-e-Sharief, far away in Qazigund, a group of the PDP activists pulled down and torched all the Congress party flags which had been hoisted earlier this week on occasion of the Social Welfare Minister Abdul Gani Vakil's rally at Damhal Khushipora. In a statement, Congress MLA and youth leader Mohammad Amin Bhat dismisses it all as "PDP's frustration" over the popularity which, according to him, his party was gaining in the Valley.

As the PDP MLA, Sartaj Madni, organiused a public rally at Waltengo Naar, senior PDP leader and Minister of Agriculture, Abdul Aziz Zargar, addressed yet another rally at Damhal Hanjipora in his Noorabad constituency in south Kashmir. A matador bearing No. JK013/852, met with an accident as it skidded off the road near Qazigund and fell off, causing injuries to 10 PDP workers traveling in the vehicle on way to the Waltengo Naar.

Border peace should be a permanent feature: Azad
*Migrants get plots, cash assistance

Excelsior Correspondent

Khour, Mar 22: Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today hoped that peace prevailing on borders between India and Pakistan for last four years would flower into permanent friendship so that the two countries use their resources and energies for development.

Addressing a public meeting in this border village, Mr Azad said that Indo-Pak relations had improved since the past four years or so which had relieved the border population of constant hardships they otherwise suffered due to strained relations. He recalled the post-Kargil situation when lakhs of people, living on borders, had to flee to save their lives from mortar shells and firing from across and said the peace process with the neighbouring country initiated under the UPA Government led to the easing of the situation and peace on the borders.

At the public meeting, attended and addressed also by Speaker, Legislative Assembly, Tara Chand, Minister for Health and Medical Education, Mangat Ram Sharma, MP, Madan Lal Sharma, among others the Chief Minister also distributed papers pertaining to allotment of plots and first installment of Rs. 25,000 for construction of houses to border migrants of Khour block affected during the Kargil war.

"We want that this peace on borders should be a permanent feature and relations between the two countries bloom into lasting friendship so that resources are spent on development and prosperity of the people on both sides", Mr Azad said.

He said that efforts were on to consolidate gains of peace process between the two countries and Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson, Sonia Gandhi were working to make the Indo-Pak friendship a lasting feature. He hoped that dialogue process that had slowed down for last one year due to internal situation in Pakistan would be resumed and taken further. He said after the recent elections, democracy had returned there and hoped that the new Government would seriously take forward peace and friendship initiative launched four years ago.

Making a special mention of hardships of the border population, the Chief Minister said that the Congress party and Government had always come to their help. He said during the Kargil war when lakhs of people had to flee from border areas in Akhnoor, R. S. Pura, Kathua, Rajouri, Poonch and other places and were rendered homeless and migrants, the party sent relief material like blankets, food and tents to provide succour to the affected population. He said after the party came into power both at the Centre and in the State, the two Governments had speeded up efforts to address their problems.

Mr. Azad said that maximum number of the affected border population came from Akhnoor tehsil including Khour block. He said although the Government provided ration to them but since they were homeless something tangible had to be done to provide them relief. He said since their land was under the use of Army and mined they could not undertake agricultural activities. He said under such circumstances it was not difficult to imagine how hard the life must had been for these people. He said 3500 acres of their land was still under the use of Army.

Keeping all these factors in view, the Government, he said, identified 2500 kanals of land to distribute as plots of 5 marlas each among the 6072 affected families for constructing their houses. He said besides, Rs. 50,000 would be provided as cash assistance for construction of their dwelling units. The first installment of Rs. 25,000 was being distributed in the shape of cheques today itself, he said. Earlier, the Government had provided Rs. 20,000 each to the affected families, Rs. 10,000 each for purchase of a pair of bullocks to till the land and Rs. 10,000 as compensation for damages to their houses. He asked them to start in the right earnest the construction of their houses.

The Chief Minister informed the border people that he had successfully persuaded the Central Government for enhancing rent of the land under the use of the Army. He said he had several meetings with the Defence Minister following which the Central Government had agreed, besides paying rent of the land under the Army for the last about 10 years, double the amount of rent of civilian land and property that was with the Army. He said the present Central Government was favourably disposed towards the people of Jammu & Kashmir. He thanked the Prime Minister, Defence Minister and Home Minister for coming to the help of the people of border areas in J&K.

The Chief Minister, referring to the list of demands made by Tara Chand, said that his Government would do anything to address the problems of the local people and consider sympathetically the demands made during the public meeting.

Earlier, addressing the meeting, Speaker Legislative Assembly, Tara Chand thanked the Chief Minister for visiting his constituency four times during the past one and a half years. He said Mr. Azad as Union Minister also had been frequently visiting the camps of border migrants to help them in their hour of need. He said while the Chief Minister undertook development of the entire State, the Akhnoor tehsil received due attention. He said an additional bridge on River Chenab was constructed in a record time. A college and SDM office in Akhnoor, grid station in Khour and road connectivity in border areas were some of the measures taken by his Government for the development of this area. He called for construction of 3000 houses under IAY for houseless persons and providing drought relief to the affected population of the constituency.

Addressing the gathering, Health and Medical Education Minister Mangat Ram Sharma asked people to raise hands who wanted to support Speaker Tara Chand from Chhamb. Entire crowd supported him.

The rally was also addressed by Jammu-Poonch MP Madan Lal Sharma and MLA Akhnoor Sham Lal Sharma.

Civilian shot dead in Doda, grenades seized

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 22: A civilian was kidnapped and gunned down by militants in Doda last night while security forces recovered explosive devices including grenades during two different search operations in Dharamshal area of Rajouri district and Majalata in Udhampur district.

Official sources said two militants struck at village Bakhna near Doda last night and kidnapped a 23 year old Gujjar boy Mohd Shaffi son of Lal Din from his house. They whisked away the body to an unknown location.

Even as police parties launched a search operation to trace him, his bullet riddled body was recovered by police this morning from a field about two kms away from his house, sources said.

The boy had been shot from a close range, Four to five bullets had been pumped in his body, they said, adding the militants managed to escape.

Security forces and police have launched a combine operation in the area but no arrests have been made so far. Sources, however, said the militants of Hizbul Mujahideen were responsible for the killing of the Gujjar youth and both of them have been identified. Efforts were on to nab them. They were believed to be locals.

Police, meanwhile, destroyed a hide-out of the militants at Khewan Sailsoo in Dharamshal area of Rajouri district this morning.

Recoveries made from the hide-out include one grenade, 35 AK rounds, one AK magazine, one bottle of rifle oil and three pencil cells.

The militants appeared to have abandoned the hide-out.

Majalata police in Udhampur district also recovered one HE-36 grenade from Railta Nullah.

Body of 81 year old Taja Begum wife of Mohd Ramzan R/o Shadi Dharam has been recovered under the jurisdiction of Gool police station in Ramban district.

Body of an Uttar Pradesh labourer, Bhola alias Davinder son of Shri Ram R/o Bharatpur, Uttar Pradesh, presently working in Kissan Milk Food, industrial area, Bari Barahamana, was found under mysterious circumstances.

Both the bodies have been sent to hospitals for post-mortem.

OGW held with 2 grenades
Anti-tank mine defused

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Mar 22: Security forces averted a major tragedy when they defused an anti-tank mine and recovered some explosives in the Kashmir valley, official sources said today.

They said troops of Rashtriya Rifles and Special Operation Group (SOG) of Kashmir police conducted a search operation at the woods in Ajas, Bandipora.

During the operation, they detected and defused the anti-tank mine. Some other explosives were also recovered, the sources said.

However, no one was arrested.

In a joint operation, Army and police today nabbed an Over Ground Worker (OGW) of militants and recovered a cache of arms and ammunition in separate operations.

Ashiq Qadir Rather of Odura Kulgam was arrested by the troops of 44 Rashtriya Rifles and local police in Maihindpura village of Shopian district, sources said, adding two hand grenades were recovered from him.

In a separate joint operation, troops of 5 Rashtriya Rifles, 162 Infantry battalion, 42 battalion of CRPF and Special Operations Group of local police busted a hide-out during a search operation in Halnar area of Ganderbal district.

They also seized 137 rounds of AK ammunition, an Under Barrel Grenade Launcher, 19 hand grenades, a radio set antenna, six electronic detonators, four rounds of rocket projectile gun, three IED circuits and an IED from the hide-out.

Advani: no idea on Jaswant accompanying militants

NEW DELHI, Mar 22: As the 1999 Kandahar hijack drama continued to hound the BJP, the saffron party’s Prime Ministerial nominee L K Advani has said he had no idea that the then Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh was accompanying the terrorists on the flight to the Afghan town.

The BJP-led NDA Government had to release three terrorists in return for the safety of the 160-odd Indian Airlines passengers held hostage on board the IC 814 airplane in December 1999. Jaswant Singh had accompanied the three terrorists including Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Mohammad Azhar

Advani ,who was the Home Minister during the Kandahar crisis, said the decision was taken in consultation with Vajpayee.

Asked by NDTV in its "walk the talk" programme whether going on plane was his (Jaswant Singh) own decision, Advani said "I wouldn’t say it I would know that. He must have consulted Vajpayeeji, but it was not an issue at all and this issue was also raised by many others many months later." Advani’s comments appear to indicate that he was against Jaswant Singh going to Kandahar.

Q) But in this country, would an External Affairs Minister himself escort militants?

Advani: He is not escorting, he is trying to bring back the passengers. But I don’t think that I am answerable for that, if the security committee on security had taken a decision.

Q) You were not consulted on this?

Advani: I don’t know about it.

Q) So when did you get to know he went on the plane?

Advani: I came to know when he was going.

Advani had recently indicated that he was for action against the Kandahar hijackers.(PTI)

Over one lakh pilgrims throng Katra town
Massive rush at Vaishno Devi shrine

By Sanjeev Pargal

JAMMU, Mar 22: Mata Vaishno Devi ji shrine in Trikuta Hills has been witnessing unprecedented rush for last three days, which was expected to continue till tomorrow in view of Holi holidays across the country.

Twice during last three days, pilgrimage to the holy shrine, located at a height of 5200 feet from sea level, had to be suspended after it crossed the maximum per day limit of 35,000, official sources said.

By tomorrow nearly one lakh pilgrims would have visited the holy cave shrine, housing natural pindies of Goddess Vaishno Devi, in four days, beginning Thursday.

The upper limit of allowing 35,000 pilgrims to Bhawan from Katra base camp of the shrine was reached at 5 pm today after which Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB), which manages affairs of the shrine, temporarily suspended registration of pilgrims.

However, according to sources, after the rush eased a bit at Vaishno Devi Bhawan, 10,000 more pilgrims were registered late tonight, who were allowed to cross Ban Ganga after 9 pm. They were asked to undertake journey late in the night to ensure that they reached the Bhawan after midnight by when rush would have further eased.

Yesterday also, the pilgrimage had to be stopped for three hours after the yatra crossed 35,000 mark by 6 pm.

Sources said the yatra, which had witnessed a slump in early part of March and February has suddenly picked up. With three days rush, the yatra during first 22 days of this month has crossed the figure of corresponding period by over nearly one lakh and was further expected to go up during the remaining one week.

During 22 days of this month, 3.15 lakh pilgrims have performed the yatra as against 2.17 lakh during corresponding period last month.

In January this year, 3.37 lakh pilgrims had darshan of Goddess Vaishno Devi as against 2.89 lakh last year. However, in February, the yatra went down from 2.46 lakh in 2007 to 1.60 lakh.

Overall, the yatra till this year was up by 62,000 as compared to same period last year. So far 8.65 lakh pilgrims had darshan of the natural pindies as against 8.03 lakh during first two month and 22 days last year. It may be mentioned that pilgrimage to the shrine had for the first time crossed seven million mark last year with 73.50 lakh pilgrims having paid obeisance to the Goddess last year.

Meanwhile, due to increase in pilgrimage, Katra town, which serves as base camp for the shrine, has been witnessing massive congestion due to poor traffic regulations.

"Going by the rush of pilgrims to Katra, the base camp now clearly required one way traffic but this has not been done", reports said, adding huge traffic rush has led to massive traffic congestion at Katra bus stand and surrounding areas causing enormous inconvenience to the pilgrims.

On their part, police authorities led by Additional SP Katra Ashok Sharma have been maintaining tight security arrangements but due to traffic congestion, they too were finding it difficult to keep security fool proof.

Enroute the track, the pilgrims complained of facing water scarcity. Many water tank on the track were dry, they alleged.

Gillani to be new Pak PM

ISLAMABAD, Mar 22: Yousuf Raza Gillani, a Bhutto loyalist, will be the new Prime Minister of Pakistan, the PPP announced today, ending the month-long suspense marked by bitter tussle for the top post.

A former Parliament Speaker who is from a landowning family in Punjab, Gillani(56) will head the incoming coalition Government at a time when Pakistan is at crossroads and amid a looming confrontation with President Pervez Musharraf.

Gillani was declared as the candidate of slain Premier Benazir Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on the eve of closing of nominations for the Prime Ministerial elections by PPP spokesman Farhatullah Babar who read out a brief statement saying he had an enormous responsibility to lead the coalition. He is currently PPP’s vice-chairman.

After the National Assembly or the Parliament holds the formal elections on March 24, the new Premier is set to be sworn into office by Musharraf the next day.

The election of Gillani, who spent four years in prison over allegations that he abused his authority as a Speaker, is a certainty given the majority the incoming PPP-PML(N) coalition has in Parliament.

But the candidature of the man, who defeated former Premier Nawaz Sharif in 1988, is likely to further expose the serious differences within slain Premier Benazir Bhutto’s party since veteran politician Makhdoom Amin Fahim, another close Bhutto aide, was the initial frontrunner.

Plans for Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Benazir Bhutto’s 19-year-old son who flew in from Britain, to unveil the name at a press conference were earlier dropped.

In an attempt to see that the elections do not go uncontested, Musharraf’s main ally, the PML(Q), will field former Chief Minister of Punjab province Chaudhry Pervez Elahi as its candidate.

PPP had emerged as the biggest party from general elections on February 18 and sealed a coalition with former Premier Nawaz Sharif.

Bhutto’s widower Asif Ali Zardari is not eligible to be Premier because he is not an MP, but party leaders say he may run for the post after contesting a by-election in may and that Gillani will perhaps be only a stand-in Premier.

The party has been dogged by differences to settle on a candidate amid a power vacuum left by Bhutto’s assassination with Gilani emerging as the latest frontrunner. Besides Fahim, the other contenders were Bhutto’s former Commerce Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar and Punjab Province Party chief Shah Mahmood Qureshi

Gillani, a key Bhutto aide had served as Speaker during her second term in power from 1993 to 1996.

Sharif said in Lahore that his Pakistan Muslim League-N Party "will raise no objection on the PPP nominee," adding: "Musharraf should understand that the days of dictatorship are numbered."

Gillani’s candidature was announced on a day when a nominee of Musharraf’s allies quit the race for the premiership. The President’s political ally, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), said it had decided to withraw its candidate as a "gesture of goodwill."

"We have decided to extend unconditional support to the PPP nominee, Farooq Sattar, the candidate of the Karachi-based MQM said.

The decision to withdraw was taken after Zardari held talks with MQM leader Altaf Hussain, who lives in exile in London, Sattar said.

"It is not for greed or lust for power, it is in the larger interest of the country, for the stability of the country and for political harmony," he said.

"I have great pleasure in calling upon Yousuf Raza Gillani in the name of shaeed(martyr) Benazir Bhutto to accept the heavy responsibility to lead the coalition Government and the nation. Yousaf Raza Gillani is not afraid to lead and he knows the way," said PPP spokesman Farhatullah Babar, reading a statement from Asif Ali Zardari.

Gillani would be the first Seraiki-speaking Prime Minister from a region in Punjab where PPP had been winning the maximum number of seats after its Sindh stronghold.

Gillani’s nomination appears to be a clear snub to Fahim, who was long presumed the front-runner after leading Bhutto’s party during her nearly eight years in exile.

"I have the best wishes for him," Fahim was quoted as saying after Gillani’s name was announced. Fahim said he would not quit the party.

An aristocratic party stalwart, Makhdoom Amin Fahim, has long been considered the front-runner for Prime Minister. As PPP vice-chairman, he led Bhutto’s followers in Parliament during her nearly eight-year exile from Pakistan. The battle for Prime Minister in fact has strained party unity even before the new coalition Government assumes office.

Gillani had spent four years in jail on allegations he abused his authority as speaker during Bhutto’s second term as Prime Minister in the 1990s. He was never convicted, and was freed in 2005.

Farooq Sattar, who met leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q), which backs Musharraf, later confirmed that he was quitting the race at a news conference.

PPP spokesman Babar hailed the MQM support as "a positive development." (PTI)

19 officials suspended in Sumbal

Excelsior Correspondent

Bandipora, Mar 22: Deputy Commissioner, Bandipora during inspection of various offices in Sumbal, Sonawari today placed 19 officials including two gazetted officers under suspension for their absence from duty.

The suspendees include 10 from tehsil office, four each from Irrigation and Zonal Education and one from Block Development Offices Sumbal.

Cement recovered from JE’s house

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 22: Doda police today recovered 100 bags of Irrigation Department’s cement from the house of a Junior Engineer, posted in the same Department in Doda town.

On a specific information, a Doda police station party led by SHO Inspector Chanchal Singh under the supervision of SSP Doda Manohar Singh, raided the house of JE Tanvir Ahmed Gattu son of Abdul Rehman Gattu at Gattu Mohalla in Doda town this morning.

From the JE’s house, police recovered 100 bags of cement, which he had smuggled from Irrigation Department’s office in Doda town and shifted to his under construction house.

While the JE managed to give a slip to police, his brother Mumtaz Rehman was arrested by police.

A case in the smuggling of cement has been registered at Doda police station.

Police said the JE had smuggled 60 bags of cement from the office today while rest of the bags might have been smuggled earlier.

100 kg bhukki seized, 2 held

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 22: Police today seized 100 kgs of ‘bhukki’ from a truck at Mansar under the jurisdiction of Samba police station when it was being smuggled from Srinagar to Punjab in a truck bearing No. 8875 RJ13G. Two drug peddlers have been arrested.

SSP Samba Rajinder Gupta said a Mansar police post party intercepted the truck and subjected it to thorough frisking. A superficial fuel tank had been attached to the truck which was being used for smuggling of narcotics.

During searches, police recovered 88 packets of ‘bhukki’ concealed in the tank and weighing 100 kg.

Truck driver Krishan Singh son of Khushia Ram R/o Kot Kallan, Phagwara Road, Punjab and conductor Mantosh Yadav son of Santosh Yadav R/o Bihar have been arrested by police and lodged in Samba police station. A case under NDPS Act has been registered against the accused.

During questioning, Krishan Singh disclosed that he had been purchasing the consignment from Feroz Din and Hakim Din of Chorsu, Bijbehara, Anantnag and smuggled it to Punjab where it fetched a handsome amount.

Capt among 2 injured in blast

Excelsior Correspondent

RAJOURI, Mar 22: Two Army personnel, including a Captain, suffered minor injuries when a grenade accidentally exploded in Nowshera area of this district, official sources said today.

The grenade exploded in a firing range at Gadhi in Nowshera area of the border district this morning.

Injured Army personnel have been hospitalised.

Investigations have been ordered in the grenade explosion.

Indefinite curfew in Pak town

ISLAMABAD, Mar 22: Indefinite curfew has been clamped on the northwestern Pakistani town of Hangu after sectarian clashes left at least four persons including a policeman dead and 25 others injured.

Rival Sunni and Shia groups exchanged fire during the clashes yesterday which coincided with the celebrations to mark the Persian new year ‘Nawroz’ and the birth anniversary of Prophet Mohammed. The two groups clashed with heavy weapons, including mortars and rockets.

The administration imposed indefinite curfew in the town and held a series of jirgas to restore peace and harmony in the area, officials said.

One police official was among the persons killed while two policemen were among the 25 people injured, they said.

Hangu had witnessed violence in January on the occasion of Ashura, which marks the death of Prophet Mohammed’s grandson Imam Hussein. (PTI)