28 August 2007

Alert

Explosions destroy three music stores in Buner; shop owners in Matta Tehsil receive threats of similar violence


Incident details

other

(PPF/IFEX) - Three music shops were destroyed and several others were damaged on 25 August 2007 in explosions in Buner, in the North Western Frontier Province (NWFP) of Pakistan. Press reports quoting police officials said the improvised explosives that were used were locally made and were timed to go off around 11:00 pm (local time).

The music and video shop owners had earlier received warnings from religious militants to close their businesses which, according to the groups, were spreading vulgarity and obscenity.

The Taliban and other religious extremists have been waging a campaign of threats, intimidation and violent attacks against video and music shops because they believe that movies and pop music promote obscenity and destroy the religious values of the people (see IFEX alerts of 9 July, 8 and 7 May 2007).

Video shops owners in Matta Tehsil and other areas of Swat District in NWFP have also received letters ordering them to close their business within 15 days or face having their shops blown up.



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