MIANWALI, March 5: The local administration had to cancel the four-day spring festival in the nick of time as police refused to spare the required force for the event on Wednesday. The festival was scheduled to begin on Thursday (March 6) at the Mianwali sports stadium.

A dejected tehsil nazim, Amjad Ali Khan, announced the cancellation of the festival at a press conference, claiming that the district police officer had refused to take responsibility of ensuring security during the event due to the prevailing law and order situation. “A huge contingent can’t be deployed for four consecutive days,” he quoted the DPO as saying.

He said the police had dampened the spirits of the people who were excited to be a part of the festival – the only source of recreation for the local people.

A lot of money had gone down the drains, he said, as arrangements had been made to entertain the people. Tent-pegging teams, along with their staff and horses, had already reached here.

DPO Abdul Aziz Malik said it was risky to depute a large number of policemen at any place because of security concerns all over the country.