SWABI, Nov 21: A considerable number of CD shop owners switched over to other businesses after the fresh spate of terror acts gripped the district.

“Majority of the CD shop owners had already given up the business owing to eminent threat of blowing their shops by militants but the fresh incidents of bombing music centres forced their remaining colleagues to say adieu to the business,” said a trader.

In the last five years, most of such incidents happened in tehsil Chota Lahor and the newly established tehsil Razaar. The first incident of blowing a CD shop was occurred in Razaar shopping area in Shewa Adda.

The hardliners who say music and movies are un-Islamic have termed Gulzada Market, where about 80 shops of CDs, DVDs and audio cassettes were situated, as 'hell market'. The shopkeepers of the market had received warning letters in the past.

Before the Swat operation, the situation was so worst that the CD traders used to hold regular meetings with police officials. Many traders announced in the presence of journalists and police that they had given up their business. They said they planned to adopt other professions.

However, when the Swat operation was completed and internally displaced persons (IDPs) left for their homes, the traders started returning to their previous traders again. When the business gained momentum militants again started targeting CD shops.

“The fear of blasts was looming over our heads. The best option was to leave the business. The situation had forced us,” said a former CD trader of the Shewa Adda.

Another CD shop owner said that the shopkeeper was not compensated if his shop was blown up. “We haven't huge assets to bear such loss. We opted to leave the business and focus on other sources of livelihood,” he added.

The market owners warned the CD traders that they should either stop their business or leave the market immediately because their trade centres might be targeted by militants.

“The message of market owners was loud and clear. After the warning of the market owners we have changed our profession,” said a trader in Javed Market at Yar Hussain.An official recalled that for the first time three video and music shops were blown up in Gulzada Market in April 2007.

It forced a number of bands usually hired to perform in wedding ceremonies to give up their profession.

Now music groups are also disappearing from the district. Only two groups are working in Waris Khan Market in the district headquarters.

“I have been playing flute since my childhood. I did the same in army during my services and I am still working, going all around the area along with my other colleagues. But my son would never adopt this profession. He has plainly refused,” said 70-yeal-old Nisar Khan of Maini.

Another member of the band said that Pakhtuns wanted drumbeats in their wedding parties. “Some of them say that a marriage without traditional drum and flute can't be called a wedding ceremony. However, they never give respect to you,” he added.