Artificial beards, moustaches banned in Peshawar

Police say terrorists could use camouflage techniques to conceal identities; hate material also banned

PESHAWAR: Authorities in Peshawar have imposed a ban on the sale of artificial beards and moustaches in the wake of security threats, officials have informed The Express Tribune.

"Riaz Khan Mahsud, DC Peshawar has under Section 144 Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) imposed ban on the sale of handbooks, pamphlets, artificial beards and mustaches that may create a law and order situation and uncertainty among the public," read a notification issued by the district administration.

The order shall come into force forthwith and remain in place until December 15, unless modified or withdrawn. Anyone found violating the law shall be preceded against under Section 199 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), the notification maintained.



According to a spokesperson for the DC's office, the ban was imposed in the wake of a request forwarded by police in connection with Rabiul Awwal 12.

"Fake beards and moustaches are used as a camouflage [technique] and [the ban has been imposed] to take necessary steps to avoid any untoward situation,” a police official said.

He revealed that the restriction was related to threat alerts police had received regarding the possibility of terrorists using such tactics to change or hide their identities, the official added.



On October 19, police arrested two men suspected of distributing pamphlets for Islamic State following a raid in Peshawar , amid lingering fears that the militant group was making inroads in the country.

In a similar occurrence on March 17, the counter-terrorism department (CTD) arrested four members of a banned outfit on Pajagi Road in Peshawar and recovered dozens of pamphlets with extremist content form their possession.

Operation Zarb-e-Azb was launched in the country in June 2014 to purge the far-flung areas of the country of terrorists and secure areas affected by militancy.