Islamic Militants Ban Mobile Phone Ringtones

Islamic militants in Pakistan's tribal areas, which border Afghanistan have issued a decree banning music from mobile phone ringtones and vehicles in tribal areas of the country. A spokesman for the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, Maulana Faqir Mohammed said, the they would not allow commuters to play music in their cars or use musical ringtones on mobile phones.

He warned that offenders would be punished according to Shariah laws.

Maulana Faqir Mohammed has been an outlaw in the region due to his reported close contact with Taliban and al-Qaeda elements. He has however been disowned by the tribal elders, who in 2006 - following local traditions - burnt down his house as a signal of disapproval of his activities and warned him to surrender to the authorities.

This is not the first time that Taliban leaders have tried to clamp down on music in their areas - and a wave of attacks on mobile phone stores in North Waziristan was carried out last October to stop them selling music capable phones.

The shop-owners said at the time that they had received several letters, asking them not to sell mobile phones pre-loaded with 'musical' ring tones. Many retailers had started offering phones pre-loaded with 'jihadi' ringtones, but this did not seem enough to appease the militants.

Posted to the site on 6th May 2008

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