Shamsabad Food Street closed down
The Shamsabad Food Street has been completely closed due to tight security due to cricket matches between Pakistan and Australia.
Three petrol pumps on Double Road and Murree Road around the cricket stadium have also been closed, while markets, shops and private offices have also been closed, prompting shopkeepers and food market traders to protest.
Cricket Stadium Road, Murree Road, Shamsabad to IG Principal Road have been completely sealed off. All types of transport on these roads have been completely closed. Sensitive personnel have been deployed on the roofs of the markets, while 300 close circuit cameras have been installed around the stadium and a control room has been set up. Security is also being provided by drone cameras. The Bomb Disposal Squad also gives clearance after a full search of the cricket stadium. Metro station of Shamsabad has also been temporarily closed. A heavy contingent of police has been deployed around the stadium.
All businesses around the cricket stadium, shops, private offices and complete closure of transport on Double Road have destroyed private business in all areas.
There are 100 big food shops, hotels, stalls and salt shops in the food market. Due to curfew-like restrictions, all these businesses have come to a standstill.
Read: Traffic plan finalised for Pak-Australia matches
Double Road shopkeepers Fayyaz Ali, Masroor Khan and Azmat said that we sell daily and feed our children. Closing the shops has paralyzed our home system.
Syed Nadeem said that “whenever there are matches in the cricket stadium, our shops are closed and he demanded that the cricket stadium should be demolished and rebuilt outside the city. The cricket stadium has become a nightmare for us”
Shaukat Mehmood a daily wager said that he used to get wages from the petrol pump but with the closure of the pumps he has been unable to earn and feed his family.
Asmat Khan a shopkeeper said that people should be allowed on the identity card basis otherwise the entire area will remain closed for ten days, destroying businesses and disrupting daily customers.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 28th, 2022.