Moving on: New year celebrated with gusto

Thousands take to streets despite cold weather, security concerns.

RAHIM YAR KHAN/ MULTAN/ FAISALABAD/ LAHORE:

Thousands of people across the province braved the cold weather and the fog for New Year celebrations late on Wednesday night. 

In Rahim Yar Khan, scores of youth came out on streets and danced to the beat of drums as the clock struck 12 and houses in Jinnah Town, Satellite Town, Sultanpur and Mao Mubarak plunged into darkness as per the regular load shedding schedule. They also sang songs and performed one-wheel stunts in their localities.

Nooruddin Shah, 21, a student, said when power had gone out at midnight, his mother had exclaimed, “Welcome to the new year, which has brought no change to the load shedding crisis.”

He said he had asked his family to join others outside on the streets for the celebrations. “We don’t know if we will ever see the end of load shedding,” he said. “But that should not stop us from enjoying life.” In areas like City Park Chowk, hundreds gathered to pray for the victims of the massacre in Peshawar on December 16. They also prayed for peace and prosperity and the success of Operation Zarb-i-Azb.

“We can only thank God for the blessings of the past year,” said Allah Baksh, 32, cloth salesman. “And we can only pray for a better year ahead.”



Some people had brought food from their homes which they shared with their friends at the celebrations.

Police cars were deployed at major intersections of the city. Some were abandoned as policemen joined youth in the festivities.

In Multan, New Year celebrations were disrupted in areas where residents complained against hooliganism. Here, hundreds of youth lit crackers and fireworks. They also resorted to firing in the air.

In Gulgasht and Cantt, many youngsters were seen performing biking stunts.

Police had constituted 100 teams to deal with hooliganism on New Year’s eve. As many as 30 people were arrested for rash driving, possession of alcohol and disturbing law and order.

In Faisalabad, traffic police arrested 76 wheelie stunt performers and impounded their motorcycles.

Police had set up pickets at D-Ground, Canal Road, Koh-i-Noor and Iqbal Stadium to pre-empt any untoward incident at these places. As many as 11 cars and a van were also impounded.

In Lahore, scores of youths took to The Mall, Main Boulevard Gulberg, Jail Road and Defence.

Roads were blocked in some parts of the city, including the Mall and Jail Road, as commuters rushed to get home. Music and crackers could be heard all night from most areas of the city.

DIG Haider Ashraf had said that three superintendents, 35 DSPs, 84 SHOs and 5,000 policemen had been tasked security duties.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 2^nd, 2015.