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Business
remains suspended
By: Ashraf Javed
LAHORE - The
businesses, shops and commercial activities have totally come to a
halt here at Shaarey Fatima Jinnah (Queen’s Road), once a leading
commercial area of the Punjab Capital, for the last 12 days as the
terrified cops have declared the entire locality as ‘no-go-area’ to
protect themselves.
The police have also brutally
tortured five motorists during the last six days after they argued
with the on-guard policemen and tried to cross the barriers set-up
to close down the road for general public, eye witnesses said. Not
enough, the police have also diverted the public transport from such
an important business locality for security reasons, putting a great
number of people in trouble.
The so-called security measures taken
by the police to protect the office of the Capital City Police
Officer (CCPO) has led to lay off for hundreds of daily wagers and
workers.
All the businesses including shops,
workshops, cinema, CNG filling stations, fruit-vendors, roadside
restaurants and show-rooms have been closed down since the
terrorists struck the police and intelligence headquarters on May
27, leaving 24 people dead and above 300 injured including police
and intelligence officials.
The police shut down Shaarey Fatima
Jinnah (from Ganga Ram Chowk to Faisal Chowk) for all kinds of
traffic, soon after the massive blast shook the entire City, terming
the ‘initiative’ as security measure. Five days after the attack,
they opened the road from Ganga Ram Chowk to Qadri Chowk only to
divert the traffic towards Regal Chowk but the road from Qadri Chowk
to Faisal Chowk (Chairing-Cross) is still a no go area. A good
number of businesses including offices of travel agencies, banks,
Plaza Cinema, CNG stations, workshops, roadside restaurants, offices
of the national and multi-national companies are situated on this
road besides residential quarters. The public access to the Civil
Lines Police Station has also been denied, as the police station is
located in this restricted area.
More interestingly, the policemen
have set up parking stand in the middle of the road and right
outside the CCPO office for their visiting colleagues, no matter
even if it is a security risk. However, there is no check on the
pedestrians. Thousands of motorists have to face rude attitude of
the cops deployed at the barriers every day, no matter they have to
reach their office, residence or workplace located in this
restricted areas.
The Nation: June 09, 2009 |
