LAHORE, May 9 (ANI): Two suspected Shia gunmen shot dead Dr Ghazanfar Ali, an activist of the Sunni militia, Sipaha-e-Sahaba, and wounded another person in the doctor's clinic in Faisalabad on Thursday, on the eve of Muharram which starts today.Shia-Sunni tension continues to grip Punjab and the northern areas of Gilgit and Baltistan in the continuing violence across the country. Even parts of the Frontier Province have been affected.

Some districts including Kohat in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) have banned the entry of the extremist ulemas under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance.The district magistrate of Jhang in Punjab has additionally banned group activities in the district fearing violence. Reports indicate that the government was planning a Karachi-type clean-up operation to put a stop to sectarian and other violence in the Punjab province.Large scale arrests have already taken place. A decision has also been taken to set up special courts to try those arrested for terrorism.

There has been heavy province wide police and Army deployment, mosques are being given special protection.Only on Monday, at the behest of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, brother of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the leaders of Sunni and Shia sects, including several militant groups, met Punjab government officials who urged themto keep peace during Muharram.

The leaders agreed to a seven-point code of conduct to honour each other's beliefs, avoid criticism of other sects, preach unity and religious harmony, and tolerate processions and religious activities during Muharram.They also pledged to help the administration to form peace committees to maintain law and order. Participants included Azam Tariq, leader of the militant Sunni Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan group, and Allama Munawar, chief of the Shia Sipah-i-Muhammad Pakistan faction. Shia-Sunni clashes have claimed over 70 lives this year and over 170 lives last year.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.