KARACHI: In order to avoid competition of collecting hides of sacrificial animals during the Eid days among different political and religious parties, social organisations, welfare institutions and religious seminaries in the province, the Sindh government has notified a code of conduct in this regard.

The code of conduct issued by the home department allows only those registered political and religious parties, social and welfare institutions and seminaries to collect hides that have a prior permission in writing from the commissioner or deputy commissioners concerned.

However, even these institutions will not be allowed to set up any camp and will have to sign the code of conduct to strictly follow all the rules mentioned in it.

Legal action will be initiated against the institution and its worker if they are found collecting hides without the written permission or violating rules of the code of conduct.

The conditions for collecting hides include that the institutions or bodies are not allowed to use the loudspeaker and any flag on their vehicle to make announcement from mosques, seminaries or offices.

Similarly they will not be allowed to ask to donate hides through display of posters or banners.

The purpose of the restrictions is to protect the basic right of people to hand over the hide to the organisation of their choice with their free will and without any pressure or coercion.

No one is allowed to go door to door to collect hides.

People could go to the mosque, seminary or any welfare organisation to donate the hide.

The volunteers of parties before shifting the collected hides to other place must possess their computerised national identity card, card of the institution of their affiliation and a copy of the permission letter issued from the commissioner or deputy commissioner otherwise law enforcement agencies personnel have right to seize the hides.

Every institution or seminary who will have permission to collect hides will have to submit a comprehensive plan to the deputy commissioner concerned and the SSP in writing about shifting of hides from one place to other so that their vehicles can be provided due security.

There will be a ban on carrying any sort of weapon, baton, stick or iron rod during the Eid days. This ban will also be applicable to holders of licensed arms and in order to ensure its strict enforcement the law enforcement agencies personnel will be allowed to stop and check motorcycles and vehicles to carry out search.

All parties, organisations, institutions and seminaries will ask their workers to fully cooperate with the personnel of law enforcement agencies in this connection.

The government has also set up a control room at the home department under the supervision of special home secretary Riaz Hussain Soomro which will start functioning round the clock on Sept 24 for three days for collecting information about law and order situation and transmit the same to higher authorities.

Published in Dawn September 23rd, 2015

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