KOHAT, Feb 25 Religious and political parties on Thursday cancelled Milad processions, while requesting the local administration to ban all kinds of processions in the local bazaar.

Earlier, in this regard, a jirga was held at the office of the Kohat division commissioner, which was attended among others by representatives of the Sunni Supreme Council, Tehrik-i-Minhajul Quran, Seerat Committee, banned Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan, businessmen and district heads of political and religious parties.

The participants agreed to cancel Milad processions on a request of police authorities.

Javed Ibrahim Paracha of the Sunni Supreme Council, Manzoor Paracha of the Business and Commerce Chamber, Abid Paracha of the bazaar union, Sher Khan Bangash of the Pakistan Muslim League-N, Saifullah Afridi of the wholesale dealers of fruit and vegetable markets union, Musafir Gul, Pir Mohammad Qadri, Jehanzib Jani, Tariq Durrani and others asked the administration to ban processions in the bazaar in order to ensure peace in the region.

They said no religious or political party should be allowed to organise meetings or processions in the bazaar.

The decision to cancel Milad processions was announced by Ahmed Din Paracha while presiding over a meeting of heads of different parties at Kotwali mosque.

Meanwhile, the Kohat division commissioner has directed security forces to arrest suspicious people after identification by the local administration to avoid unrest among local residents.

Commissioner Khalid Khan Umerzai issued the directives after listening to complaints of a jirga that called on him at his office here on Thursday.

The jirga members complained that security agencies picked up innocent people for interrogation without any intimation to families or the district administration of Hangu. The Parachinar Reforms Committee, Kohat, also expressed concern over harassment of internally displaced persons settled in Peshawar, by police.

A meeting of the committee held here on Thursday called upon the government to stop police from arresting and interrogating displaced people.