RAWALPINDI: Tension ran high between the workers of an independent candidate and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in the downtown Qadeemi Imambara Mohallah on Friday.

Witnesses and police said Raja Aurangzaib, an independent candidate for Union Council 35, allegedly pulled down the banner of his opponent (PML-N) candidate Sheikh Nasir as it was about to fall in the nullah located underneath the banner and tried to place it at a safer place.

On seeing the banner being pulled down, the PML-N candidate’s supporters and the people in the neighborhood, numbering 400 to 500 people, gathered at Pir Choha chowk, Imambara, and staged a protest. The angry protesters set tyres on fire blocking the link roads and demanded registration of a case and arrest of the independent candidate, Raja Aurangzaib.

In the meantime, as many as 200 supporters of Raja Aurangzaib also appeared on the scene and started shouting slogans against the ruling party candidate who they claimed was trying to damage the popularity of their leader.

However, the police contingents led by the city police officer Israr Ahmed Abbasi reached the scene and dispersed the angry protesters assuring them that the police would deal with the issue in accordance with the law. Later, they (police) shifted both the candidates to the Banni police station.

At the police station, both the contesting candidates assured the police in writing that they would keep peace in the area as there was no serious issue. A report of the incident was, however, registered with the police.