SIALKOT: The administration has imposed a ban on holding public meetings, processions, rallies and corner meetings without its permission in the district.

Deputy Commissioner Dr Farrukh Naveed stated this while presiding over a meeting at his office here on Sunday.

The DC said those intending to hold such gatherings should inform the district administration about their plans a week ahead of any event to get the permission.

District Police Officer (DPO) Asad Sarfraz Khan said the participants would be be checked by police and other law enforcing agencies before the start of such events.

He said the presidents and secretary generals of religious and political parties should apply for the permission to the district administration.

The hosts of such events would also be responsible for provision of metal detectors, walk-through gates, CCTV cameras at the venues of such events, besides deployment of volunteers for security of the participants.

The DC also sought cooperation of all the religious organisations and political parties in this regard.

Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Meesam Abbas, PML-N leader Syed Shujaat Ali Pasha, PTI leader Umer Dar, PML-Q leader Muhammad Sadaf Butt, PPP leader Azhar Diyal, MMA Sialkot district president Dr Shakeel Thakur, Jamaat-i-Islami district spokesperson Arif Mehmood Sheikh and Ulema belonging to different sects also attended the meeting.

According to official sources, the precautionary steps were necessitated by the recent attempt on the life of Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal during a corner meeting in Narowal district. Mr Iqbal was injured in the attack and was hospitalised.

POWER THEFT: Special vigilance teams of Gujranwala Electric Power Company (Gepco) caught red handed nine consumers for stealing electricity direct from the main cables and tampering the meters in Sialkot, Daska, Sambrial and Pasrur tehsils.

Police have registered separate cases against the suspects, Munawar Hussain, Khurshid, Tahir Mehmood, Javaid, Iqbal, Waris, Abdul Qaddus, Azam and Sagheer Ahmed and sent them behind the bars.

FIA OFFICES: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has announced that it will soon establish its offices in Greece, Iran, Turkey and Italy to check human trafficking.

Senior FIA officials seeking anonymity told the newsmen here on Sunday that the agency was making hectic efforts at national and international level to curb the menace, that was earning bad name for Pakistan.

They added that early establishment of the FIA’s international offices in the four countries would help check human trafficking to several South Asian and African countries, besides the Middle East, Gulf States and Europe from Pakistan.

FIA could also arrest the human traffickers who had escaped to these countries in a bid to avert their arrests.

VISIT: The Ambassador of Vietnam, Mr Pham Hoang Kim will visit Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) today (Monday).

SCCI president Zahid Latif Malik said the ambassador would discuss the matters of mutual interest with local exporters and highlight the trade opportunities involving the two countries during a meeting at the chamber.

During his two-day stay here, Mr Kim would also visit several leading industrial units in Sialkot, the SCCI president added.

Published in Dawn, May 14th, 2018