Islamabad, May 18: Suspected pro-Taliban militants in the northwestern Pakistani town of Nowshera have warned video shop owners to shut their “un-Islamic” businesses or face serious consequences.

The threat comes 15 days after suspected militants detroyed dozens of video shops in the North Western Frontier Province town of Charsada.

“The anonymous letter ordered the shop owners to shut their businesses within 10 days or face serious consequences,” shopowner Sagheer Khan said.

He said the threat letter was found after his son opened the video shop.

It said: “My dear Muslim brothers. With the resolve to stop the growing obscenity and vulgarity, we warn you to wind up your business within 10 days so that no innocent person gets killed.”

The police has intesified security around the shops and ordered the owners to remove all obscene movies within 48 hours for their own safety.

Elsewhere in the conservative NWFP state, militants have physically tortured owners of several DVD shops and ordered barbers not to shave beards.

No return: Pervez

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf ruled out the return of former Prime Ministers, Nawaz Sharif and Benanzir Bhutto, to take part in a general election due around the end of the year.

“Nobody is returning before the election,” Musharraf said in an interview with private Aaj Television aired today. Speculation has been rife that he might do a deal with Bhutto, who served two terms as Prime Minister.