In the aftermath: Traders, commuters suffer

Shops and road in RA bazaar closed; troops patrolling the area; prolonged traffic jams witnessed on Murree Road.

RAWALPINDI:

Broken dreams

As he picked up broken glass and cell phone mobile accessories from his shop, Muhammad Rafique said that the shop was his only source of income, and terrorism has taken it away. Even worse, this is not the first time this has happened to him.

He said he first set up the shop after selling most of his wife’s jewellery. Then shop was destroyed in the 2007 bomb blast in the same area.

“After the 2007 blast, I borrowed money from one of my relatives and re-established the business. It wasn’t till last year that I finally paid back the loan. This time I have no idea who will support me,” he said.

Like Rafique there are more than a dozen other shopkeepers whose businesses have been destroyed.

Sweet turning bitter

“I set up my halwa shop some three months back. The suicide bomber partially damaged my shop,” said Muhammad Waqas.
He said that government should take some serious steps to address the issue that is costing many their lives and others their incomes.

Double whammy

Meanwhile, the administration completely sealed one corner of the RA Bazaar. This area houses around 25 shops. “We have no idea when we will be allowed to re-open,” Waqas said.

Acting on orders from law enforcement, the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) closed the bazaar road from T-Chowk for all kind of the traffic. The road starts from General Post Office (GPO) Chowk and leads towards Chungi No 22.

A senior RCB officer told The Express Tribune there is still a terrorism threat in the area. “Keeping that in view, we have decided to close part of the road because many sensitive offices are located here.”

Meanwhile, the RCB has closed all streets in the neighbourhood that connects with the bazaar road, with patrolling soldiers the only things able to get through.

“By closing all the streets, the administration has forced us to use longer alternative routes,” said, Shahid Ali, a local resident.

Ripple effect

A couple of kilometres away, barricades have been placed on Benazir Bhutto Road near the Liaqat Bagh intersection, causing massive traffic jam for hours. The motorists cursed the government for its failure to regulate traffic as the blockade led to traffic jams on all major roads and arteries of the city.

Chaotic scenes were witnessed on Muree Road as motorcyclists tried to cross the road by jumping the dividers and driving on the wrong side.

A traffic cop requesting anonymity said the road was closed as the prime minister was expected to visit CMH.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 22^nd, 2014.