June 08, 2007	Friday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 22, 1428

SWABI, June 7: Local CD vendors, cable operators and owners of music shops have been warned by unknown elements to close down their business by June 15 or face the consequences.

A message written in Urdu that contained the warning — a copy of which is available with Dawn — was sent on Thursday to all the CD shops in the Gadoon Amazai Industrial Estate and the Tehsil Topi region.

It is not known exactly who wrote and delivered the message but the local Taliban are suspected to be behind the move, according to an official.

“We order the owners of music, CD and video shops in the region to wind up their business immediately,” says the letter. The message — titled “A plan for spreading obscenity in the NWFP” — adds: “We request our Muslim brothers that they should not sell obscene CDs, films, etc. Otherwise, your shops will be blown up with explosives. If you fail to give up the illegal business you will be responsible for all the consequences.”

The message also warns hotel owners that they should not run obscene films. “Don’t play a role in the destruction of your own society,” says the letter. “If you do that you will face difficulties in this world as well as in the life after death.”

The ‘anti-obscenity’ drive in the district was launched after an explosion at a CD shop in the Shewa Adda area on April 22.