LANDI KOTAL, Feb 3: Militant organisation Lashkar-i-Islam has ordered all men living in Bara subdivision of Khyber Agency to grow beards and all women of the area to wear veil. Speaking on his FM radio channel Lashkar-i-Islam (LI) chief Mangal Bagh said that no leniency would be showed towards the violators of his new decree.

He also warned barbers against shaving beards in their saloons in Bara. Elaborating his new decree, Mangal Bagh said LI volunteers would regularly conduct patrolling of all areas in Bara and take action in accordance with the teachings of Sharia against those found shaving their beards.

He however, exempted non-locals from the new edict and said that his volunteers would persuade outsiders to abide by the Sharia laws. Mangal Bagh also ordered the womenfolk to strictly observe purdah and wear veils while leaving their homes.

He said that a male member of the family must also accompany the women if they went out in time of any necessity.

The LI had earlier declared wearing of caps as mandatory in Bara tehsil and pledged to implement its self style purification system throughout Khyber Agency.

Mangal Bagh had also imposed a ban on playing music in all types of vehicles and also on festive occasions through out Bara subdivision. Public transport owners and associations in Peshawar have also removed cassette and CD players from their vehicles after receiving a warning from LI few days ago.

Mangal Bagh argued on several occasions that crime rate in Bara had considerably decreased owing to the strict implementation of his ‘purification agenda’.