PESHAWAR, Oct 6: The law enforcers have booked several persons in provincial metropolis for violating the ban imposed by government on use of residential quarters as guesthouses and renting out their properties to tenants without obtaining no-objection certificate from the police station concerned.  According to police, they wanted to implement the government’s directives about provision of data and identification of tenants by the house owners so that militants and terrorists could be checked.

For the purpose, they said, property dealers and house owners were bound to keep regular liaison with police otherwise they would have to face action.

Hayatabad police had registered about 12 cases under Section 188 of Pakistan Penal Code against the property dealers and owners of the buildings for violation of the government’s decision.

Similarly, 16 cases have been registered at Peshtakhara police station against the property dealers and owners of the buildings. “We have received written order from district coordination officer that police can check people residing in rented buildings in this regard,” said an official.

He said that besides holding meetings with the local elders, police had also started making announcements through loudspeakers in mosques to create awareness among people so that they would help police to arrest kidnappers, car lifters and other criminals and terrorists.

Besides the property dealers, the official said, a local guarantor was also must for identification of tenants and for obtaining of NOC. He said that in case tenants were singles, employees of Pakistan Air Force or students, police directly contacted the departments concerned to facilitate people.

Police said that with checking tenants they witnessed decrease in routine crimes in their respective areas as people fearing police action were not ready to rent out houses to strangers.

“Our riders and patrolling squads are regularly moving around to keep vigil on movement of suspected people,” officials said.

The local elders, they said, were also cooperating with police in that regard because everyone wanted to keep their areas clean and discourage anti-state and anti-social elements.

Meanwhile, according to home department, provincial government and district government Peshawar have received reports that some people violate the rules and regulations framed for residential areas in Hayatabad as they run illegal guesthouses in the township.

A statement issued by the home and tribal affairs department said that running illegal guesthouses in residential areas were a nuisance for residents of Hayatabad. “The practice can also pose threats to the law and order of the township,” it said.

The government has asked the capital city police officer to prevail upon the station house officers concerned and direct them to register FIRs under the relevant sections of law against defaulting guest houses in Peshawar.