PESHAWAR: The Peshawar district administration on Tuesday imposed ban on setting up of camps for collecting hides for 60 days.

A notification issued here said that the administration had received reports from several sources that such camps were being set up to collect hides in the city with the collectors using loudspeakers to ask people to dump hides at specific places. It said there were also reports that people were being harassed if they didn’t ‘donate’ the hides.

The notification said it was not only against cleanliness and code of conduct but also caused certain diseases as well as unrest among the people, leading to breach of peace and tranquility. Besides, it said heaps of hides and skins might also likely be used by terrorists to conceal explosives underneath. “Furthermore, there is an apprehension that collection of sacrificial animals’ hides may end up in the hands of proscribed organisations,” the notification said.

Therefore, it said the district administration had imposed ban on establishment of camps for hide collection without NOC, unauthorised collection of hides, use of loudspeaker for collection purposes and display of banners and posters for the same purpose in the provincial capital for a period of 60 days under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

“Anyone found violating this order shall be proceeded against under Section 188 of Pakistan Penal Code,” the notification warned.

Published in Dawn, June 28th, 2023