ISLAMABAD, Feb 5: President General Pervez Musharraf has increased the maximum punishment for misuse of loudspeakers in the capital to three-month imprisonment and Rs1,000 in fine.

Earlier the maximum punishment used to be one month imprisonment and fine of Rs100.

An ordinance promulgated by the president on Monday amended the 1965 West Pakistan Regulation and Control of Loudspeakers and Sound Amplifiers Ordinance for Islamabad, empowering the local administration to award the enhanced sentences.

The new law, which takes immediate effect, comes on the heels of a ban imposed by the Islamabad administration on the use of loudspeakers, even in mosques for purposes other than Azan and Friday prayer sermons.

That ban was imposed following directives from President Musharraf about strictly checking the spread of religious hatred through provocative speeches and publishing and selling of hate material.

However, it was observed that most of the worship places had disregarded the ban.

Earlier, the government of Punjab had similarly increased the punishment for misuse of places of worship.

A senior official of the Islamabad administration approached by Dawn said the enhanced punishments would deter the misuse of loudspeakers in the city.

Crackdown on POs: The Punjab IG police Ahmad Nasim on Monday ordered crackdown on the proclaimed offenders and court absconders throughout the province.

The instructions were issued to all the regional police officers and deputy general of police in the wake of alarming increase in absconding cases.

According to a police spokesman, the IGP directed all the field officers to chalk out a comprehensive strategy and utilise all resources at their command to arrest the outlaws at large scale.

The IGP also urged the senior police officers to fully motivate and mobilise the whole police force through professional skill and effective supervision so that the desired results of the crackdown might be achieved.

It has further directed to prepare an up-to-date list of proclaimed offenders and send it along with details of action to central police office on weekly basis.