GUJRAT: The district administration has rejected at least 53 applications, most of them by proscribed organisations, for collecting animal hides during three days of Eidul Azha, starting from Monday. It granted permission to 91 other organisations for hide collection.

Deputy Commissioner Dr Khurram Shahzad told Dawn the applications had been rejected after a feedback from the law enforcement agencies (LEAs). He said that besides the banned organisations, non-profit organisations (NPOs) not registered with the departments concerned were also not allowed to collect hides.

Mr Shahzad added it was for the first time that a special format of the no objection certificate (NOC) had been devised, which required the mention of hide collection points being organised by the applicants.

The administration had accepted 24 applications for the sale and purchase of the hides in the district. As per law, the NPOs whose applications had initially been rejected by the administration could also file an appeal with the DC; however, the proscribed orgnaisations could not be granted permission, said an official of the branch concerned in the local administration.

He added that total 144 applications were filed to seek permission to establish the hide collection camps which were discussed in a meeting of the district intelligence committee (DIC), headed by the DC, with District Police Officer (DPO) Syed Tauseef Haider and representatives of other LEAs.

The DPO warned the proscribed organisations to stay away from hide collection; otherwise, cases would be lodged against them under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA). He said the interior ministry had issued the list of banned outfits that were not allowed to collect animal hides.

On the other hand, the district administration has turned down the two applications for holding motorcycle rallies on the Independence Day (Aug 14).

ARRESTED: The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) arrested a patwari and his clerk while taking a bribe from a citizen.

The ACE conducted a raid and arrested patwari Rabnawaz of Chaknawala circle in Gujrat tehsil and his clerk Dilawar Sher receiving Rs7,000 as bribe from the complainant.

The ACE team recovered the bribe amount from the suspects. A case has also been registered against the suspects with the Gujrat ACE Police Station.

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2019