The police said seven checkpoints on and around Faisal Avenue and six in Shalimar sector which includes Sectors F-10 and F-11 and Sectors G-10 and G-11 in Ramna Sector had been removed. The position of checkpoints at Jinnah Avenue, Kashmir Highway and Margalla Road has also been changed.
Senior Superintendent of Police, SSP (Operations) Tahir Alam Khan said that the relocation of these checkpoints was made for the convenience of commuters.
“We reviewed the position of these checkpoints and decided to change their position keeping them on the same highway. The move was basically intended to facilitate commuters and maintain free flow of traffic,” said Khan.
However, it was interesting to note that the review was only made after erecting concrete large rooms for security personnel at the previous position of a check point near Saudi-Pak Tower on Jinnah Avenue. Similarly, a check point opposite the office of the Inter-Services Intelligence ISI positioned on the Kashmir Highway was also shifted some two kilometers ahead on the same highway.
The relocation of this picket would release pressure of traffic on the under-construction bridge of zero point. Police said the seven checkpoints of the third tier at Faisal Avenue have now been shifted to 9th Avenue.
Similarly, six Shalimar and Ramna sector checkpoints have been relocated to the rural areas including Meharabdi, Shah Allahdita and Banni stop in the outskirts, which constitute the fourth and the last tier of security. SSP Khan said this relocation was specifically meant to check car theft, muggings and robberies. “Our eagle squads and police patrols will continue to monitor the roads which are without checkpoints and ensure safety of public” said the SSP.
However, he said the recent relocation of checkpoints was not the result of survey by the police to review the positions of the checkpoints and remove some without compromising security. He said the survey was underway.
An earlier survey conducted by the capital police had found no road blockade or obstructions in the city unnecessary and irrelevant. Some two weeks ago, on the demand of a sub-committee of the Senate standing committee on interior, the Islamabad administration had taken a fresh notice of road blockades in front of different hotels and other obstructions placed on roads in the name of security. Islamabad administration had asked the capital police to review the placement of barricades at over hundred points in the city. The survey report prepared by the police was not sent to the administration as it lacked the required information.
A fresh survey was ordered which was still underway. The Express Tribune learnt that the recent move of relocation of checkpoints was made in order to ease some pressure on police to completely remove checkpoints which were not extremely necessary, whereas the police was not in favour of removing any of them.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 23rd, 2010.
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