GUJRAT, Dec 7: Police and the district administration have ordered immediate closure of all roadside eateries, also known as ‘charpoy hotels’, across the district in the wake of recent wave of target killings and sectarian violence.

Gujrat police have beefed up security after the killing of Maulana Shamsur Rehman Muavia, Punjab president of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat, in Lahore.

An emergency meeting of the district peace committee was convened late on Friday at the district government complex with DCO Asif Bilal Lodhi in the chair.

Sources said the meeting was conducted to devise a strategy to cope with the possibility of any law and order situation in the district.

No leader of the ASWJ has previously been invited to such meetings and the Friday meeting was also held without participation of the party. However, local Barelvi and Shia clerics were present.

In a handout issued on Saturday, Gujrat DPO Ali Nasir Rizvi was quoted as telling the participants in the meeting the administration decided to close all roadside eateries in the entire district. All SDPOs concerned were directed for implementation of the orders.

Law-enforcement agencies had last month arrested some suspects from a roadside eatery over their alleged links with banned outfits.

An official of the district government said anyone could easily rent a charpoy for as low as Rs25 to R50 per night without providing any identity since such set-ups did not have a register to enter records of guests. That was why the police and administration had decided to take such a measure.

DCO Asif Bilal Lodhi said security had been put on high alert in the district after the killing of the ASWJ leader and urged the public to keep an eye on suspects.

The DPO said the duration of patrolling by SDPOs had been enhanced in the morning from 4am to 7am whereas the police would keep an eye on transportation of weapons in vehicles. He said he was in touch with all religious leaders of the district.

Participants of the committee meeting assured the administration of their complete cooperation in maintaining law and order and also offered fateha for the deceased cleric and condemned the incident.