Islamabad: In first signs of return of normalcy in Pakistan's troubled North West Frontier Province, where voters showed door to extremist political parties in last month's general elections, women are back on billboards and the cultural diary is reviving.

The erstwhile Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, which ruled the province for the past five years, had removed billboards that carried women pictures; and music shops were frequently bombed by Pakistani Taliban militants.

Now almost overnight, multinational firms and cinema halls have put up billboards with women on them.

Buoyed by the win of secular parties like the Awami National Party, the University Road, Grand Trunk Road, Saddar Bazaar and Surai Pul near the NWFP assembly building in Peshawar are flaunting new billboards.

The alliance of religious parties had also banned music in public transport and stopped performances in Peshawar's Nishtar Hall during it's five year tenure.

After a long time, the air echoed with music as the audience were treated by several local artists at a concert organised in Peshawar to mark the launch of two plays shortly after MMA's tenure ended.

The audience were enthralled as artists Nazia Iqbal, Sarfaraz Khan, Fazle Akbar Rahi, Zahid Tabassum and Zafar Iqbal sang Pushto songs after a long time.

Pushto film director Tawab Sarhadi announced to produce two serials 'Anjam' and 'Meena Lewantob De' on the occasion.

Mohammad Faraq, a resident of Peshwar who like most others in his city voted for the ANP, told the Daily Times that MMA had caused "irreparable loss" to Pashtun culture and it would take a little more time to change the image of the provincial capital.
Source : PTI