PESHAWAR, Dec 30: Vigilantes of religio-political parties have announced they are determined to stop revelry on the new year eve.
Groups of stick-wielding activists of the ruling Muttahida Majlis-i-Aman will roam the streets of Peshawar to thwart any attempt at celebrating the advent of the new year, Haji Ihsanul Haq, the secretary-general of the six-party alliance in Peshawar, told Dawn.
Three committees comprising ten members each had been formed to scout the city, cantonment and rural Peshawar and inform police of any unethical activity, Mr Haq said. "Our force will be ready camping at two mosques in Peshawar City and the University Town and will act on reports provided by our own intelligence," the JUI district leader said.
"And I assure you we have plenty of force. Madressahs are full of them," he said. He added that the committees would closely liase with police in the district and the SPs in city, cantonment and rural Peshawar.
"If police do not act on our information, then we will press our force into action," he warned. The police said they had assured the vigilantes the government would do their utmost to stop the celebration which the religious parties believed was un-Islamic and promoted vice.
"We have done our spadework and summoned owners of various hotels in Peshawar to warn them from holding any parties," SP Cantonment Awal Khan told Dawn.
Mr Haq said the police on their initiative had called owners and operators of the city's 12 upscale hotels, including the lone five-star hotel, to forbid them against organizing any new year parties. The SP Cantonment said the police was closely coordinating with the MMA leaders in Peshawar to ensure that no parties were held.
