Closed shops

LAHORE: Lahore’s famed MM Alam Road was closed the other day because one PML-N MNA wanted to have AC units installed on the top of his plaza. This caused a furore among shop owners who had to face losses because the road was blocked.

As a shop owner at Girja Chowk, I have to face VIP movement every day. At times we are forced to shut down our shops for hours – and there is  nocompensation for this from the government. The attitude of the city traffic police is rude, even with female customers.

The most absurd thing is that at times after this strict enforcement of six to nine hours shutter down of shops, the VIPs don’t even pass through the route making the whole exercise a waste of time and money for the shopkeepers. This contradicts with the officially proclaimed view that no shop is to be closed for more than five minutes before and after VIP movement.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 7^th, 2010.