Otherwise lively, city sees a somber New Year’s Eve

Arsalan Ahmed, a citizen of Karachi, had never witnessed a subdued New Year's Eve in the city, staying in at his house, before Thursday.

All shops, markets and restaurants, as ordered, had been closed early and security across the city had been beefed up.

Hasnain Raza, another citizen on the way to Sea View - the main spot in the metropolis where scores of people gather each year to welcome the New Year - was also unhappy with the way things had worked out.

"There is tight security and darkness everywhere," he said while speaking to the Express Tribune. "It appears that the year ahead, too, will be stressful."

Meanwhile, law enforcement personnel remained deployed across the city's South district, where Sea View is located. The district had also been witnessing fireworks, aerial firing and other festivities, involving dance and music, on the arrival of every New Year. But it was not so on the last day of 2020. Thousands of families reached the Sea View beach as it was open for the public.

There, too, shops, markets, shopping malls and eateries were closed by 8pm and police personnel patrolled the streets, ensuring that none of the shops remained open beyond the 8pm deadline set by the local administration.

Meanwhile, scores continued to visit the city's food streets at Boat Basin, Burns Road, Saddar and Tariq Road, only to find all eateries closed.

Seeing customer returning helplessly at Burns Road, a hotel owner, Irshad Khan told The Express Tribune, "We have be told to shut businesses down by 8pm and aren't even allowed to provide takeaway service." Abdullah, a shop who runs a shop near Regal Chowk, said, "We have been told that there is a security threat."

He said that following the imposition of lockdown restrictions, most markets were closed by 8pm daily for the past month.

"But New Year's Eve seems a bit different," he added, lamenting the prevalence of pandemic and terror attack.

A citizen, Faisal Hussain, decried, "There is nothing to buy. We wanted to enjoy outdoors tonight but the environment is scary."

Commissioner's orders

The Karachi commissioner had ordered all deputy commissioners in Karachi to ensure the closure of the all restaurants and businesses by 8PM on December 31, 2020.

A letter issued in this regard stated that the decision was taken in a meeting held on Tuesday.

Security measures

Law enforcement agencies beefed up surveillance and security in the city's South district on Thursday, when the police set up camps along roads leading to Sea View.

Clifton SHO Pir Shabeer Haider said, "We have force [at hand] to deal with miscreants and no violation of the law will be tolerated."

In the camp established near Do Talwar, the services of a motorcycle mechanic and a car mechanic, as well as fuel, was available to help stranded citizens.

Camps elsewhere had arrangements for tea, coffee, bottled water, flowers and toffees for citizens.

However, a policeman, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said, "I don't agree with this sort of complete closure. It is on occasions like this one when citizens get a chance to relieve stress." He added, "Limiting [citizens] to their homes will only add to their stress. We are a poor nation with limited sources of entertainment and I can see the impact of the closure."However, Ahmed was hopeful of better times ahead, though maintaining that celebrating the arrival of the New Year in a subdued manner was a "bad omen."

"Everyone is praying for a healthy 2021 and that it brings hope. May this year bring an end to the darkness and fear that 2020 brought," he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 1^st, 2021.