KOHAT: District police officer Wahid Mehmood has imposed immediate ban on music functions in wedding halls at night and stressed joint efforts to combat beggary and drug peddling in the city after listening to the complaints of the business community and elected members at a public forum here on Friday.

He agreed that the late night music shows at weddings caused nuisance to the patients and the elderly and disturbed the sleep of the people.

The forum was held at the main bazaar which was participated by representatives of the business community, elders, social and political woerkers, members of local bodies and general public.

He said that permanent solution should be found to the illegal rise in fares by the transporters, encroachments, firing in the air and fireworks with help of public-police liaison.

The DPO asked the officials to arrange a meeting of the business community, transporters and the wardens to rationalise the fares which were a burden on the poor people and notices should be issued to the vehicle owners and in case of violation strict action should be taken against them.

He asked the transporters to voluntarily bring down fares to the rate fixed by the transport authority to avoid legal action.

He gave his mobile phone number (04361119615) to the public who could contact him anytime in case they faced some problem. It may be recalled that big blasts of firecrackers in the city last week had caused panic among the businessmen and the residents who thought they were rocket attacks, but the police did not arrest anybody.

The people had criticised the police saying that in case of influential people they did not take action, but arrest the poor businessmen when found selling fireworks.

Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2019