Safety measures: ‘Remove billboards at dangerous spots’

Commissioner asks authorities to check if any billboards have ‘indecent’ material on them

BAHAWALPUR: Bahawalpur Commissioner Saqib Zafar directed Parks and Horticulture officials on Sunday to take stock of billboards in the city and to remove billboards installed at dangerous locations.

The commissioner was chairing a meeting to review arrangements to remove billboards that have been installed without the necessary permissions. Bahawalpur DCO Ehtisham Anwar Mahaar, Bahawalpur City Assistant Commissioner Rao Tasleem Akhter, Bahawalpur Saddar Assistant Commissioner Husnain Khalid Sanpal and PHA Director Qazafi bin Shakoor attended the meeting.

The commissioner said he had come across several billboards placed at sensitive public spots which could potentially endanger lives.  He told the PHA director to ensure that such billboards were removed and that strict action was taken against those responsible for placing them there. He said the government had standard operating procedures regarding billboards. “Anyone caught violating them should be taken to task.”

Zafar said all billboards installed at weak and vulnerable points must be pulled down without delay. He asked authorities to monitor the content placed on the billboards and to check whether they were ‘decent’. “We will take action against people putting up indecent and immoral material on billboards.” The commissioner said billboards placed in public places must carry messages of public service. He also asked PHA officials to take count of all billboards in the city.

The PHA director general assured the participants at the meeting that stringent measures would be taken regarding installation of billboards in Bahawalpur.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 18^th, 2016.