PESHAWAR, July 12: The NWFP Chief Minister, Mr Akram Khan Durrani, on Monday told police and civil administration officials to ensure that all business and shops closed during prayer hours and to persuade the general public to offer prayers five times a day.

The provincial government, in consultations with all Muslim groups, would fix timings for Azan and prayers, and heads of government department would be expected to present themselves as role models, he said, while addressing a meeting of DIGs, SPs, Nazims, DPOs and secretaries. The chief secretary, provincial police officer. and members of the Nifaz-i-Shariah Council were present on the occasion.

Mr Durrani said that the comprehensive strategy for Nifaz-i- Salat, or enforcement of prayers, in all the districts would be chalked out and the government infrastructure would be involved in the process. All government offices and business centres will remain closed for half an hour for prayer break.

The chief minister announced that in future any government or private building constructed without proper arrangements for prayers would be demolished. In bus terminals and public places, the government will provide facilities for ablution and prayers.

During the meeting, no government official is reported to have asked how would the prayer rules announced by the chief minister be enforced. Mr Durrani said that when the MMA came into power, vested interests started a propaganda against its government that it would impose its decisions on the people.

"The enforcement of Shariah is one of our priorities but the MMA would never impose its decisions on the public," he said. "The MMA would involve all the stakeholders in the decision-making process. Unless we present ourselves as role models we cannot achieve our desired objectives," he added.

However, some of those attending the meeting were reported as sayingthat the chief minister's speech was vague, as it fell short of issuing any clear-cut directives regarding the enforcement of prayers in public places.

"We have been asked to persuade shopkeepers to pull down the shutters, but what if they don't. Will this be a cognizable offence?" a police official present in the meeting asked.

The chief minister's speech also didn't clarify if the city's police force would be required to enforce prayers five times a day, because the timings of the Zohr, Asr and Maghrib prayers fell during working hours when commercial establishments were open.

Another police officer said: "The police force already has less strength than required to control the law and order situation, and enforcement of such (religious) matters is bound to have implications on the overall law and order situation."