SANGHAR: Tension grew high in Sanghar city on Sunday over rumours of a clash between local activists of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) and a crackdown on political activists.

Several hundred activists and supporters of both the parties took to the streets of Sanghar but senior leaders intervened and managed to pacify their respective party colleagues.

The episode began with a raid carried out by a police party on some houses in Nazamani Para on a complaint that certain PML-Factivists tore off top PPP leaders` posters to provoke their rivals.The raids triggered protests and police in various localities as several hundred PML-F activists marched through the streets of the city and converged on the Sanghar police station.

They proceeded to the nearest section of SangharKhipro Road and blocked it for two hours.

During the course of the protest, rumours were spread about a clash between PPP activists on the one side and PML-F and the Hur Jamaat (both led by Pir Pagara) on the other somewhere in the city.

The rumours created considerable tension across the city with rival groups desper-ately trying to reach the scene of the clash that had never taken place.

Realising the situation, Hur Jamaat Khalifa (area representative of Pir Pagara) and a former PML-F MPA Ali Ghulam Nizamani intervened to defuse tension. He asked Jamaat activists to remain calm and peaceful as no clash had taken place.

According to Sanghar SHO Juman Khoso, 14 members of the Jamaat had been nominated in two FIRs lodged by a PPP activist following which the raid was conducted.

Khalifa Nizamani told the media that it was an attempt to create a law and order situation in the city but Pir Pagara advised his followers to exercise restraint.