Police avert Army-MMA activists’ clash

Staff Report


PESHAWAR: Senior police officials on Wednesday night managed to avert a looming clash between Army officers and about 100 Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) activists trying to force their way into the Army’s Peshawar Garrison Club on New Year’s eve.

Local MMA leaders, who were monitoring the Karam Ali Shah Mosque in Qissa Khwani Bazaar “vulgar activities” on the eve of New Year, were informed by activists that some army families were celebrating the New Year at the Garrison Club. The MMA activists, led by Haji Dost Muhammad and Haji Ihsanul Haq, entered the club and tried to stop army officers’ families from celebrating the New Year, source said. “When the MMA activists reached the club’s gate they were stopped by some Army officers,” sources said. Following a row between MMA leaders and Army officers, a police officer on duty intervened and persuaded the MMA leaders to back down,” sources added. When contacted, Haji Ihsanul Haq told Daily Times that they went to stop the celebrations. “Two Army majors said there were no celebrations and only army officers’ families are living there, so we came back,” he said. Another source told Daily Times that the station commander had held a meeting on Thursday to take a strong note of the activists’ action on the New Year eve. When Peshawar Garrison Club President Iftikharul Haq was contacted, he declined to comment.

Home | National