Post-attack safety: Saudi consulate road may remain blocked indefinitely

Police pressured into blockade to maintain diplomatic ties.

KARACHI:

The police department did not want the road in front of the Saudi consulate to be blocked for security reasons, but they were pressured into doing so after two attacks — one on the building and one in which a diplomat was killed.

A senior police official told The Express Tribune that in the aftermath of a grenade attack on the Saudi consulate and the daylight murder of one of its officials by unidentified men on motorcycles, the law enforcement authority had suggested enhanced security measures in such a way that commuters and residents would not face any problems.

“We met the Saudi diplomats and offered to place containers outside the consulate walls,” the police officer said, adding that the measures included increased patrolling, check points and the installation of CCTV cameras.

Initially, the Saudi diplomats accepted the plan. But then Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik called up the senior police officials and instructed them to block the road immediately. “Technically, it wasn’t Malik, but the Saudis who wanted the measure,” the senior officer said, adding that the government didn’t want the brotherly relations between the two countries to be affected in any way and so they instructed the police to do their bidding.

It is difficult to say when the road block will be lifted, if at all. “Until time there is a high alert, the road will remain blocked.”

Meanwhile, commuting has been disrupted for people living in the neighborhood of Khayban-e-Hafiz near the consulate. Artist and textile designer Noorjehan Bilgrami, who lives on Hafiz, complained of “a horrific feeling” because of the road block and the presence of a large number of security personnel. Dozens of policemen are manning the barricade on the road and many sit under a tent ahead. The Rangers jawans have taken up positions at newly constructed posts inside the consulate, while the personnel of the private security company Zims, in their blue uniforms loiter around at all times of the day and night.

“We are not used to all of this. It doesn’t look like a residential area any more,” Bilgrami said. She lamented the fact that the people in her neighborhood no longer have the luxury of driving straight to their homes when coming down from the Gizri overhead bridge and now have to take a long detour.

What is more, the road block has put the entire load of traffic on Khayban-e-Ghazi, which runs parallel to Hafiz and the B street.

Sara, in her 20s, also lives in the neighbourhood. She says that although one should feel safer because of the presence of security forces, the feeling is the exactly the opposite. “The Rangers at their checkposts remind me of the horrible incident at Benazir park all the time,” she said.

However, there was one blessing in disguise for this resident. “Every Thursday night there used to be bikers racing down the road without their silencers, but thank God now that doesn’t happen.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 20^th, 2011.