BANNU – Mandan Park in Bannu, It was once just another park — now it’s at the centre of a growing campaign to redraw the lines between public space and morality.
Local clerics and elders have issued a sweeping set of restrictions, including a complete ban on women’s entry, the use of music, DJ sound systems, drums, and what they vaguely described as “immoral activities.” Their message: recreation is acceptable, but only within strict religious bounds.
So, what triggered the sudden crackdown?
A special consultative meeting held under Mir Abbas Khan which brought together religious scholars and community elders who, according to a statement, reviewed what they saw as the park’s “increasingly immoral environment.” As a result, a list of new rules that now define how the public can use Mandan Park in Bannu, starting immediately.
Among the most controversial decisions: no women allowed. The scholars argue this is not about denying access, but about preventing “unpleasant incidents“ and ensuring the park aligns with Islamic social values.
Their official communiqué calls on residents to stop bringing women to the park and to respect the reform committee’s decisions. It claims the new rules are not meant to restrict personal freedom but to “guide society toward dignity and order.”
But beneath the calm tone lies a more complex debate.
This move follows a similar ban at Green Family Park, also in Bannu, where clerics had earlier enforced gender-based restrictions. The back-to-back decisions are now raising questions: who decides how public spaces are used? What does “immoral” even mean in a park? And who gets to define it?
So far, there’s been no clarity on whether the restrictions are temporary or permanent. But the debate has already rippled through communities, dividing opinion. Some applaud the move as a moral stand. Others see it as another step toward shrinking public space for women and suppressing freedom of expression.
The real story might just be starting.
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