Islamabad, Pakistan - Taliban's effort to enforce moral policing in Pakistan has received a boost with the local police in a northern province supporting a move to eliminate "evils like dancing, theft, music and interest-based banking".
The Bannu DPO in North West Frontier Province confirmed the formation of a "peace committee" for Kaki-1 and Kaki-2 union councils a week ago and said police officials were backing the committee to eliminate "evils like dancing, theft, music and interest-based banking".
"Police supports the committee on three grounds: the committee members are unarmed Taliban, they don't violate the law and they have promised the administration that they will not shelter any foreign militant in the district," the official said.
Hardliners have also distributed pamphlets in the area directing the local people to abide by the committees orders, or "face punishment" including a fine of Rs 5,000 for "crimes unnoticed by police".
With "Talibanisation" fast spreading in Bannu, girl students at government schools in Mardan have started wearing full-body veils after hardliners sent threatening letters to schools.
Ali Jan of Kaki-1, Bannu, said that the Taliban had earlier made such announcements in the Hovaid and Takhtikhel areas in northern Pakistan.
He said Mualana Ziawar Jan Shah had been appointed the committees ameer, Maulana Takia Din the Naib Ameer, Maulana Abdul Ghani the secretary general and Maulana Zaif the treasurer.