LHC hears citizens’ woes over roadblocks

RAWALPINDI:

The Lahore High Court's (LHC) Rawalpindi bench has formed a two-member commission to look into complaints stemming from the closure of routes and business centres due to the cricket match between Pakistan and South Africa at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium that began on Thursday.

Advocate Malik Saleh Mohammad filed a petition on behalf of a citizen, Zahidul Islam, wherein it was stated that the district administration had closed the roads due to a test match at RCS. He claimed that the move was in violation of basic human rights.

Justice Shahid Karim immediately summoned the district administration after which officials reached the court. The district officials maintained that they have not blocked any roads.

The court emphasised that the stadium’s security is important but it could not come at the expense of the basic human rights of the citizens. It added that the people should not be affected in any way.

The court formed a two-member commission comprising High Court Bar President Malik Waheed Anjum and Secretary-General Raja Fahim Altaf to ascertain the true nature of the situation and adjourned the hearing till February 10.

However, as reported, the Rawalpindi City Traffic Police issued a traffic plan for the test match on Friday and advised citizens to use alternative routes to avoid inconvenience as main roads will remain closed.

Senior Traffic Officer (STO) Syed Abid Abbas Shah had said that the main double-road would remain closed for all traffic from the beginning to the conclusion of the practice session as well as the match every day and urged the commuters to cooperate with the police performing duties during the match.

It was decided that traffic coming from Rawal Dam towards Rawalpindi will be diverted to the Islamabad Expressway while traffic will be allowed to enter Rawalpindi via Dhoke Kala Khan, Khanna and Korali whereas traffic going from Rawalpindi to Islamabad will take a U-turn in front of the Kidney Centre and use the opposite side to enter the capital.

Furthermore, traffic moving from IJP Road and 9th Avenue Chowk towards Rawalpindi will have to take Pindora Chungi, Katarian, Carriage Factory and Pir Wadhai route to enter Rawalpindi instead of the Double Road, it was noted. Shah had stated that heavy traffic would be strictly banned in the area around the stadium while the match was being played.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 5^th, 2021.