LANDI KOTAL: Some people associated with a seminary in the town of Landi Kotal in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) on Friday announced a ban on musical gatherings in the area, according to local media personnel. Syed Mohammad Ilyas Banuri and Syed Muhammad Ibrahim, affiliated with the Khanqah-e-Binoria seminary, announced the ban in the Shinwari Ashkhel area.
They warned that the homes of those violating the ban would be torched. The two seminary organisers had allegedly ransacked weddings in the town a few days ago and confiscated musical instruments. Today, after Friday prayers the confiscated instruments were burnt in front of a large crowd of onlookers. Niaz Muhammad, an assistant political agent, was quoted as saying that notice had been taken of the incident, and that Ilyas Banuri would be asked under what authority he announced and enforced the ban.
Published in Daily Times, September 9th 2017.
