LAHORE – The government had barred more than a dozen organisations from collecting the hides of sacrificial animals on Eidul Azha, officials said on Tuesday.
Interestingly, the government imposes ban on defunct religious organisations each year but the activists of these outfits, a few still operating with new names, collect hides from the people because of lack of check or poor implementation.
The Punjab government has imposed the ban on such organisations following the decision of the federal Interior Ministry in this regard, an official of the Punjab Home Department told TheNation on Tuesday.
According to the officials, Jamaatud Dawa, Sunni Tehreek, Ahl-e-Sunnat Wal Jamaat, Jaishul Islam, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Sipah Muhammad, Tehreek-e-Jafria, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Hizbut Tahrir, Jamiatul Ansar, Tehreek-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat, Millat-e-Islamia Pakistan and Islami Tehreek-e-Pakistan Khudul Islam and other banned outfits have been barred from collecting animal hides during Eidul Azha.
Earlier, the Interior Ministry issued notices to home departments of all the provinces in this regard and directed the authorities to ensure implementation. The Punjab government has also directed the law enforcing agencies to fully implement the prescribed code of conduct for collecting the hides of sacrificial animals.
The police are also directed to ensure complete ban on display of weapons during the three days of Eid. Official sources said that none of the banned outfits would be allowed to set up camps or visit people’s houses for the collection of hides.