KOHAT, Aug 29: The military authorities have banned the entry of journalists to the cantonment areas of Kohat.

Two years ago, journalists were asked to accept passes issued to rickshaw drivers but they had declined.

Deputy inspector general of police, Kohat region Dr Ishtiaq Marwat on Wednesday organised an Eid Millan party at his office located inside the cantonment areas and sent a mobile vehicle of police to pick journalists.

However, the security personnel deployed near Rakhi Ground stopped police from taking journalists inside the cantonment areas.

The DIG later stepped in, but to no avail.

The journalists later protested in front of the Kutcheri Chowk.

The DIG sympathised with them over the incident.

Meanwhile, the civilians, too, have criticised the cantonment authorities for closing down all three gates of the areas under their administrative control.

These gates were used by them to reach their shops and offices from different parts of Kohat city.

Despite many meetings by the city’s notables, the relevant military officials are unwilling to open the gates.

As a result, the people have to take longer routes to reach KDA Town, Bhawalnagar area and Hangu Road through the cantonment areas.

The people living inside the cantonment areas complain that they have to show the computerised national identity cards to military personnel every time they use the entry/exit points.

This, according to them, has stressed out them.

The people say if they use one entry/exit point, military personnel keep their computerised national identity card and therefore, they have to return through the same entry/exit point to their misery.

“If somebody has to go to Hangu Road from Bahawalnagar, he/she can’t go to Chakarkot but will have to return to the same entry/exit point for collecting NCIC,” a local resident says.

The lawyers, journalists, shopkeepers and residents of the cantonment areas have demanded that the military authorities order the opening of the cantonment area gates as has happened in Peshawar and Bannu to the convenience of the people.