Averting threats: Traffic diverted from bazaars, mosques in wake of Eid

Qissa Khawani Bazaar closed for all vehicles, policemen deployed in plain clothes.

PESHAWAR:

The historic Qissa Khawani Bazaar has been closed for all traffic ahead of Eid by concrete blocks placed at its entry points while policemen in plain clothes have been deployed in mosques as well as sensitive imambargahs across the city.

The number of police patrols had been doubled in the city and policewomen have been deployed in women-centric markets such as Muslim Meena Bazaar and Gura Bazaar Saddar, a police official told The Express Tribune, adding people in large number were thronging the markets to shop for Eid.



He said most of the roads in these areas have been turned into ‘one-way’ routes to avoid traffic congestion while some of the markets including Saddar and Qissa Khawani have been made off-limits for vehicles altogether.

“Around 2,000 men have been deployed in the city for the first two days of Eid alone while SHOs and DSPs have been asked to patrol their respective jurisdictions to discourage anti-social elements,” he explained, adding they were consistently receiving intelligence reports of possible terror attacks at crowded market places in the city.

In a handout issued from Central Police Office (CPO), Inspector General Police (IGP) has directed DPOs and DIGs to ensure foolproof security in their respective districts. He warned them of strict action if aerial firing was reported from their cities on the eve of Eid.

“SHOs and DSPs would be held responsible for aerial firing in their jurisdictions and strict action would be taken against them,” read the handout, adding unrestricted and excessive aerial firing claims many innocent lives across the province every year and police have failed to keep it under check in the past.

Moreover, people have been asked to share videos of aerial firing with the CPO via email ([e-mail]) to curb the practice.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 8^th, 2013.