Letter to residents: DHA ends roadblocks, guntoting

Security measures include CCTV monitoring, closure of party offices.

KARACHI:

The roadblocks in front of Zulfiqar Mirza’s residence on Khayaban-e-Shaheen and the Saudi consulate on Khayaban-e-Hafiz may be gone in a week’s time in sweeping new security measures laid down by Defence Housing Authority (DHA) on Saturday.

The offices of all political parties will be shut and sealed in DHA limits as well, said the letter to residents. “We all know there are offices of various political parties in the area,” said DHA Director Vigilance Lt Col (retd) Muhammad Amjad. “This is being done for the sake of the residents who have been complaining about security-related issues.”

Up till September 19, security was not debated in DHA drawing rooms, that is until terrorism-fighting SSP Chaudhry Aslam’s residence was attacked in Phase VIII with a massive bomb. Just a day ago, schools in the neighbourhood filed a petition with the housing authority’s administrator to have the police officer’s residence moved.

DHA has said it will take action against the open display of weapons. It also brought up the tents for security guards pitched outside homes in violation of DHA by-laws. Given the security threat, they were not immediately banned, but people were asked to properly arrange them and ask their guards to show discipline. Parliamentarians, senior security officials, landlords and top businessmen all have homes in DHA.

People were asked to cooperate with vigilance staff and security officials during the snap-checking of vehicles. “We have witnessed an increase in street crime in recent weeks,” said Amjad. “Law enforcement agencies have also informed us about security threats.” He did not specify what they were and stressed that the move was not related to last month’s bomb attack.

Twenty nine-year-old Sabeen Hasan, a banker and resident of DHA, said that the decision came too little, too late. “Everyone knows the people who roam in a convoy with bodyguards are politically connected. There is no stopping them.”

DHA will be blocking six entry points that are least used. Surveillance cameras are being installed at entry points. They will be monitored from a control room from October 30.

DHA’s letter also said that mosques should only be used for prayers and Nazra Quran.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 23^rd, 2011.