The display of arms has been banned in Peshawar. PHOTO: FILE
In a bid to ensure a peaceful election campaign in the provincial capital, the district administration has imposed a ban on tinted windows of vehicles and the display of weapons at public places.
The decision was taken on Wednesday in a meeting called by Peshawar Deputy Commissioner (DC) Muhammad Javed Marwat in which district presidents and general secretaries of all political parties were invited to discuss the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) code of conduct in light of the current law and order in the city.
The administration also decided to remove billboards, wall chalking, posters and banners of political parties exceeding the legal size prescribed by the ECP.
Additionally, suggestions were sought from participants of the meeting on coordination between political parties and the district administration regarding public gatherings.
Keeping in view the current law and order in the city, it was decided that political parties would inform the district administration prior to holding any public gathering.
District leaders of several parties requested the DC to provide security to contesting candidates, suggesting that they should be allowed to hire personal guards if the police was short of officials.
“We will soon chalk out a plan on providing security to contestants,” replied Marwat, advising leaders to refrain from posting banners and posters on hospital gates, informative boards and traffic signals.
The five-day deadline set by the ECP to remove oversized billboards ended on March 11. However, many political parties have failed to comply with the authority’s orders.
District presidents of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl Qari Rafiq Shah, Pakistan Peoples Party’s Haji Almas, Awami National Party Arbab Najibullah, Qaumi Watan Party’s Malik Saleem Chamkani, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s Abdus Sattar Khalil and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid’s Siffat Ullah among others attended the meeting.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 14th, 2013.
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