PESHAWAR - Owing to security threats and recent bomb attacks on cinema houses, police have temporarily closed down all eight cinema houses in Peshawar aimed at avoiding any misshape in future.
In this regard, SP Faisal Mukhtiar ordered on Thursday to shut down all cinemas in the city. Besides, SP City has directed cinema owners to install CCTV cameras within a month and ensure proper security, failing which an action would be taken against them.
Sources said that this step to close down has been taken amid growing threats to moviegoers. Police have also chalked out a new safety plan for cinema houses. There were a total of 14 cinema houses but six of them have been demolished where shopping plazas have been built. And with passing of time, number of cinema's lovers was decreasing as hardly 60 to 70 visitors go to cinemas.
A day earlier, KPK Home Department had directed for special security plan for cinema houses.
In this connection, provincial government through Home Department ordered the owners of all cinema houses not only to install CCTV cameras, metal and explosive detectors but also deploy uniformed and plain clothed security personnel.
There would also be a complete ban on parking vehicles within the premises of the cinema houses and appropriate action would be taken against those who violate the directives.
Two days earlier, three back-to-back explosions occurred inside Peshawar's Shama Cinema, killing 13 people and leaving at least 19 others injured.
The blast at the cinema came 11 days after a similar attack at Picture House Cinema situated in Kabuli Bazaar area of Peshawar. In another similar attack on another cinema Picture House cinema, some 11 days back, at least 7 people have been killed and 25 other have got injuries.
Police said that both the incidents of hand grenade attacks on these cinemas were of same nature, three each grenade were used. Both the attacks occurred when there was show on air. Police said that prior to the first incident, they have directed cinema owners to ensure their security, as there were threats from miscreants. Police are investigating these incidents and hoping to reach the targets