KARACHI: Many remained stuck in traffic for hours in Karachi when security forces blocked several main roads to ensure safety of those attending the 8th International Defence Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS) held at Karachi's Expo Centre, Express News reported.
Roads leading to the exhibition venue - which stands in Gulshan-e-Iqbal town near Civic Center - were blocked with big containers, with vehicles diverted to alternate routes.
Due to the sheer number of vehicles on the congested alternate routes, it took commuters hours to reach their destination.
These blockades have caused massive traffic jams on Shahra-e-Faisal, Rashid Minhas Road and University Road.
Frustrated commuters, while speaking to Express News, complained about mismanagement of the traffic situation and absence of adequate number of traffic police officials.
"There is a lack of coordination which is creating problems for the people; children were unable to go to school today," said one commuter, adding that ambulances were also stuck in the traffic.
The exhibition showcased equipment including tanks, aircraft, APCs, ammunition, ship building and communications related equipment of 232 defence companies of the world, including 77 Pakistani firms and will go on for four days. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif arrived in Karachi to inaugurate the exhibition and seminar.
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on first day I stuck by 3 hours, on second day by 1:15 hours of 20 minutes drive. not only expo surroundings, other roads were jam due to VIP movements and concrete barriers at the middle of the road specially in liquatabad side. why a common man suffer due to this so called exhibition. army holds major cream areas of the city why these type of exhibition could not conduct at that places ? from a common man this is not an Exhibition this is stupidity.
Move Expo center to Sohrab Goth, it is one of the safest locations right now.
Whose idea was this anyway. Expo center is smack in the middle, one should curse the planners at the helm of affairs. All the roads were clogged and there was a severe traffic jam with students and office goers stopped in the middle. This is the best place to exhibit anything but defense equipment. With too many foreign delegates and VIP's. Should be held in any airbase like PAF Sharae-Faisal or at Masroor. or better still in DHA phase eight at the golf club.
If citizens can't go there than whats the point of having exhibition at the center of the city. Does they deliberately wanted people to shout "Go Nawaz Go". Massive traffic jams don't only shows mismanagement but open negligence from government side for the masses. This VIP culture should come to an end.!
I had my semester final at 9.30 and left the house at 9.15 as it's a 10 min drive to jail chowrangi from University Road. I had to go back home to park my car on seeing the traffic and knowing I'd never get in time, and took my motorcycle. Had to cross my bike over several footpaths and still took me 1 whole hour and a rickshaw ride to get to my exam. Had to leave my bike locked to a street pole near the stadium. I don't care if the Army is showing off it's weapons to the PM of Pakistan, my grade may have been seriously affected because of their aristocracies.
IDEAS is for showcasing weapons, which might only be of interest for Governments and their armed forces. For an individual, it has no value or interest except that he/she may want to have a look at these instrument of destruction. In support of what Faiza has suggested, the venue and timings of holding such an exhibition is beyond comprehension. Such exhibition could well be held at the PAF Facilities at Shahrah-e-Faisal or elsewhere where only those persons could conveniently enter who are really interested. This will also alleviate the severe traffic pressure which is currently being experienced on the transport corridor around the venue of the exhibition.
What is the need of such useless Seminars which even an educationist, without some pull, dare to enter? All that it does is create enormous traffic jams and cause untold miseries to the the common people, making the government even more hated and unpopular.
Bad planning by the (non-existent) city govt.People who took a dtour via Liaqatabad and Tin Hatti found traffic jams too. Reason? Concrete barriers placed at the underconstruction Tin Hatti flyover. Is this stupidity or what?
Given the security situation, the concerned authorities should not have chosen the EXPO Center in the heart of the city, to avoid any unforeseen mishap or the inconvenience caused to the public. The army should have conducted IDEAS somewhere at safer places within the areas controlled by the Army. In future, these kinds of events by the Defense Authorities should be avoided within the heart of the city.
For God's sake, move the darn thing out of the city!
Building expo center in the middle of the city was moronic in the first place! This kind of sensitive exhibitions should take place somewhere else. Near Carlton in DHA perhaps
I was one of those frustrated commuters, as I remain stuck for more than 2 hours. I tried to go from several different streets but at the end returned home. And as usual there wasn't any traffic police for guiding towards diverging routes.