FAISALABAD, June 20: After a one-year ban, three of the local theaters organised stage dramas in the city here on Tuesday night. About one year ago, the then district coordination officer had imposed a ban on staging plays in various cinemas of the city and sent cases of the theatres to the home department for cancellation of licenses.

The matter was put into the cold storage and none of the cinema owners was allowed to organize plays for one year despite the fact that dramas were being staged in all major cities and towns of the province.

The stage drama producers and cinema owners filed a petition with the Lahore High Court and challenged the local administration’s decision about closure of their theaters. The LHC after a detailed hearing allowed the cinema owners to stage shows after fulfilling the codal requirements.

DCO Azam Suleman Khan constituted a three-members committee of senior district administrative officials who proposed permission to the interested cinema owners for staging dramas. The management of three cinemas completed formalities and got permission.

Dacoit killed: An alleged bandit was killed while his accomplice managed to escape after a shootout with police in Al-Masoom Town here on Tuesday night.

Police claimed that two unidentified outlaws took away thousands of rupees at gunpoint from a shopkeeper near Batala Colony and escaped. The policemen on picket duty in Al-Masoom Town intercepted them who opened fire on the police party. During a crossfire, one of the dacoits sustained bullet injuries and died on the spot while his accomplice managed to escape.