Securing the city: ‘You go home this Eid, I’ll wait for next time’

Cops working on Eid recognise the need to be on the job, wish public would be nicer to them.

ISLAMABAD:

They have not been barred from celebrating Eid with their families, but only if their families are in town. Of the roughly 3,000 available operations police officials, almost 2,000 were on duty over Eid.

Fortunately, those who had to stay back had some consolation.

“Some will go on this Eid, others will go on the next,” said a head constable who was deputed at the Superintendent of Police Operations’ office for Eid.

The police official said that while everyone wants to be with their children on such occasions, “somebody has to stay back and protect people’s lives and property”.

He said police officials will take turns for their Eid vacation. This time, only those will go who have been away from home for an extended period of time. On Eidul Azha, which is less than three months away, those who served this time will be allowed to take leave.

However, Constable Muhammad Shoaib admitted that the decision to not be with family over Eid was a hard one. “This is what a policeman’s job is. Seeing people leaving for their homes, we are envious sometimes, but our duty comes first,” he added.

The constable was stationed at one of the city’s many exit checkpoints.

Shoaib said he will be standing guard at the same picket every day of the Eid break.

In the wake of the recent terrorist attack on Kamra airbase and subsequent warnings from intelligence agencies about possible terrorist threats on Eid, the police decided to enhance the number of entry and exit checkpoints in the city. This required more men to guard them.

The situation did not turn out well for some cops whose leave had been approved earlier, only for it to be cancelled at the last minute. Shoaib’s colleague, who did not give his name, said he was packing to board a bus headed for Bahawalpur, his hometown, when he was asked to stay back.

“It is not unusual for us. Duty is more important than anything else and I will happily perform it,” said the constable, adding that his family understood why he wouldn’t be with them when he told them about the threats, but they were still worried about his safety.

However, all four police officials present at the picket said they were not afraid of terrorists.

“We have never been afraid. We are here to stop anyone coming to enter the city with the intent to do harm,” said the constable.

An assistant sub inspector (ASI), however, said his experience of standing guard at a checkpoint last year was not a good one. It proved to be a long and hot day and no one even wished
him Eid.

“People have a poor image of men in uniform, I don’t know why. It is the image of the police I guess. But it feels good when someone comes with sweets or flowers to greet us on Eid as well,” said the ASI, adding that a few years back people used to do so, but the practice stopped over the last couple of years.

He was also one of those who opted to stay back this Eid. He said that if things are under control, he will take a longer vacation next Eid.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 24^th, 2012.