Keeping 'traditions' alive: Sea View remains blocked due to ‘security threats’

Commissioner says police advised against opening the beach for public.

KARACHI:

Keeping with the tradition, all roads leading to Sea View were blocked from Wednesday morning. By evening, all the roads leading into Defence Housing Authority were completely blocked for traffic.

The authorities have one answer when asked why the beach is closed for public: security threats. This year, the police fear a backlash in response to the recent increase in strikes against militants.

The complete blockade of Sea View may seem to be a more recent phenomenon but the authorities have been dampening New Year's Eve celebrations in the city since the late 1970s. According to older residents, there were several night clubs that hosted special cabarets for New Year's and cinemas showed screenings of famous Bollywood movies. Some people would also head to Clifton beach, right behind the shrine of Abdullah Shah Ghazi, to welcome the new year.



"Once these clubs and other venues for celebration were shut down during Zulfikar Bhutto's tenure, people started heading to public places such as the beach," said a resident. The Sea View belt was developed in the mid-80s after which it became a popular spot for New Year's celebrations.

From celebrating the new year with much fervour, the city will welcome 2015 amid containers and blockades. The police insist they cannot take any kind of risks, particularly after the militants attacked Army Public School in Peshawar. "Security reasons, security reasons and security reasons," said District South SSP Faisal Bashir repeatedly, when asked why the area is barricaded every year. "After the massive loss in Peshawar, we cannot take any more risks."

However, other officers in the police force fail to see any logic behind the closure. "Security threats are everywhere in Pakistan," said a senior officer on the condition of anonymity. "Shall we close the entire country then?"

The officer admitted that the area has not witnessed any major untoward incident on New Year's Eve but they block the area as a precaution. "The government fears the terrorists may take advantage of the situation and attack its leadership, particularly those living in Defence and Clifton," he explained.

As far as the residents are concerned, they do not have a problem with a large number of people showing up to celebrate New Year's Eve. "We don't have any objections as long as the law enforcement agencies make sure no criminals or terrorists sneak in," said Aziz Suharwardy, the convenor of the Sea View Residents Society. Suharwardy admitted that suspending cellular services, banning pillion riding and imposing Section 144 have become common but useless solutions to security threats. "Unfortunately, this practice of blocking the beach has been going on since the democratic government came into power."

Khayaban-e-Bahria was blocked with containers since Wednesday morning while some roads leading to Khayaban-e-Ittehad had a single track open. PHOTOS: ATHAR KHAN/EXPRESS

However, the party that has been in power for the last seven years denied the area is blocked to protect their leadership and insisted these measures are taken to protect the residents. "Frankly, if you ask me, I will never stop people celebrating but such steps are usually taken to protect the lives of the citizens," said Pakistan Peoples Party leader Saeed Ghani, while talking to The Express Tribune.

"Young men from the entire city used to gather at Sea View, where there were lots of families as well," recalled Ghani, adding that one of the reasons behind the blockade was to stop the youth from misbehaving with families and clashing with each other. "Once, my car windows were broken by a mob at Sea View."

For his part, the commissioner said they had no intention of barricading Sea View. "We were compelled to block Sea View only due to security concerns," said Commissioner Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui.  "The decision to barricade was taken following a meeting with the police." Siddiqui explained that the police officials told them of possible threats of terrorist activities at the beach on New Year's Eve.

Apart from the beach closure, the authorities have also banned pillion riding and aerial firing, and warned of arresting those found violating the ban under the Anti-Terrorism Act. Despite a complete blockade last year, the city witnessed several incidents of aerial firing and small gatherings at Five Star Chowrangi in North Nazimabad, Liaquatabad and Gulshan-e-Iqbal.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 1^st, 2014.