Frequent VIP movements irk citizens

Large number of traffic wardens are deployed for protocol duties

LAHORE: Despite the government’s promise to change the system, the culture of VIP protocol appears to be prevailing and road closures and resultant traffic jams during the travel of top leaders and officials cause hardship to the citizens almost every day.

Nabeel, a resident of the provincial capital, said that The Mall and Canal Road were usually closed due to VIP movement, causing traffic jams throughout the city. He said the security situation in the country had improved considerably and now there was no need to block traffic to protect the important personalities.

Muhammad Shaukat, a citizen from Wahdat Road area, said during the VIP movement, policemen were deployed at the gates of some housing societies and residents were not allowed to leave. Mian Noman Mojawar, a resident of an area near Ferozepur Road, said security arrangements for multiple alternative routes are made for some VVIPs to ensure their safety. Sheikh Khurram, a local from Sabzazar area, said he had witnessed during travel that roads were closed for all kinds of traffic, leaving thousands of vehicles stuck at various points. “It takes hours for the traffic flow to return to normal,” he said.

During the movement of some VVIPs petrol pumps, plazas, offices, shops along the roads are closed with barbed wire and tents, due to which on one hand businesses are affected and on the other citizens also face problems.

SP Traffic Mehmoodul Hasan Gilani told The Express Tribune that VIPs were provided protocol as per Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). “We receive instructions from the control room or from the pilot (the officer performing VIP’s security duty) pertaining to VIP movements and we have to stop traffic to facilitate the same,” he said. He further said the protocol was provided as per the Blue Book, a classified document.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 31^st, 2020.