PESHAWAR, Dec 28: Clothing stores in the NWFP have been forced to remove mannequins from their windows under an unofficial directive, shopkeepers said on Sunday.

Police this week asked for the removal of mannequins from boutiques, shopkeepers told AFP.

“We removed the statues used for displaying garments after police told us to do so,” Sheraz Ahmad, a shopkeeper in the university town’s market said.

“This is a strange decision and will have a negative impact on our business,” he added.

Local police refused to comment on the issue of the display models.

“I am not aware of any such decision, we did not order any shopkeeper to remove statues,” a police official said.

Peshawar’s University Road is famous for its boutiques but by Sunday the biggest stores had removed their mannequins.

Sardar Ali, who runs an Afghan boutique in Ittehad Plaza, said that the decision to remove the dummies was taken by the shopkeeper’s organization after police ordered them to do so. “I removed all the women statues from the front showcase,” he said.

A store owner said police came to his shop and ordered him to remove all the statues.—APP