FAISALABAD, Dec 27: A special force armed with batons and clubs has been constituted by local religious parties for forcibly preventing musical programmes and cultural shows on New Year’s Eve.

Mutahida Majlis-i-Amal district president Sardar Zafar Husain, former MPA Malik Muhammad Din, Dr Javed Akhtar, Maulana Yousaf Anwar, Syed Yawar Hussain Shamsi and Abdul Islam announced in a statement here on Saturday that a danda force comprising young religious workers had been constituted to sabotage New Year’s Eve programmes. The religious parties would not allow anti-Islamic forces to convert the country into a secular state, they added.

The Shabab-i-Milli Pakistan has also announced that it would sabotage stage shows and musical programmes on New Year’s Eve. It also claims to have constituted groups of boys for patrolling the city.

Meanwhile, a number of local hotels, theatres and companies have announced that they would celebrate New Year’s Eve by arranging cultural and variety programmes.

MURDER: A married woman was murdered allegedly by her father over a minor issue in Chak 403-GB, Bahlak, on Friday night.

Wilayat returned to her parents home after developing differences with her husband, Sarfraz.

Her father, Manak, tried to convince her to go back to her husband’s house but she refused to do so. Her refusal infuriated Manak, who strangled Wilayat and threw her body in the river Ravi.

Police have registered a case on the complaint of Wilayat’s brother, Allah Yar. No arrest has so far been made.