Blockades frustrate capital residents

Citizens say measures cause traffic disruptions without improving security

MURREE/ ISLAMABAD:

Citizens of the federal capital are increasingly voicing anger over heavy police check posts and road blockades set up on almost every major and minor road within the city, saying the measures are causing severe daily inconvenience while failing to improve security.

Commuters report long queues, frequent vehicle searches, and traffic jams that have turned routine travel into a nightmare. "We are stuck for hours every day," said a resident of F-8 sector. "Schools, offices, and hospitals are all affected. This is not security - this is harassment.

Public frustration has peaked following the recent cold-blooded murder of a prominent businessman in Islamabad. According to eyewitnesses and police sources, a group of armed men arrived at his residence, opened fire, killed him and injured others, then fled the scene without any resistance.

Despite the dense network of check posts across the city, the attackers reportedly escaped easily. "When criminals want to do something, they come, commit the crime, and go freely," one angry resident told local media. "But law-abiding citizens are the ones suffering at every corner." Many point out that the heavy internal checkpoints have done little to stop serious crimes while severely disrupting normal life.

Residents and traders have now started demanding immediate relief. A growing number of people are calling for check posts to be removed from inside the city limits and restricted only to entry and exit points of Islamabad. "Check posts at the main entrances of the city make sense for screening outsiders," said a local trader association member. "But putting barriers on every internal road is pointless and counterproductive. It only creates problems for residents and gives criminals time to escape while we are delayed."

Several social media campaigns and resident welfare groups have begun raising the issue, urging the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration and police to review the security strategy. Official Response Awaited When contacted, Islamabad police officials defended the checkpoints, saying they were put in place after intelligence reports of possible threats. However, they acknowledged receiving multiple complaints about traffic disruption and promised to "review the placement of some barriers."

As public discontent grows, the recent murder incident has become a flashpoint, with many questioning whether the current blanket security approach is actually making the capital safer or simply more chaotic. Further protests and meetings by residents are expected in the coming days if the situation is not addressed.

Traders protest smart lockdown

On the other hand, traders in Murree staged a strong protest against the smart lockdown and the 8pm closure of markets, observing a shutter-down strike and holding a rally on Mall Road under the banner of the Central Anjuman-e-Tajran Murree.

Addressing the protest, trader leaders including President Sohrab Abbasi, Chairman Mirza Suhail Baig, General Secretary Haji Nisar Abbasi, Senior Vice President Munawar Ameen Abbasi, Vice President Raja Zahid Ismail, and Information Secretary Shahid Mumtaz Abbasi termed the decision to close Mall Road and other markets at 8pm under the smart lockdown as unjust. They said tourists, after spending the day at various recreational spots, face difficulties when they visit Mall Road at night, only to find it closed.

Due to the strike call, all shops and markets remained closed, bringing business activity to a standstill and causing inconvenience to visitors. However, tourists expressed solidarity with the traders and demanded that Murree be exempted from the smart lockdown restrictions.

The protesting traders said the measures have badly affected tourism activities and the local economy, which depends entirely on tourism. They added that business and employment opportunities have been severely impacted.

The Central Anjuman-e-Tajran Murree urged Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to exempt Murree from the smart lockdown in view of its importance as a tourist destination.

With additional input from DNA