Police officers stand at a checkpoint on a road leading to the Serena hotel as Pakistan prepares to host the US and Iran for peace talks in Islamabad. PHOTO: REUTERS
MURREE/ISLAMABAD:
Citizens of the federal capital are increasingly expressing anger over heavy police checkpoints and roadblocks set up on almost every major and minor road in the city, saying the measures are causing severe daily inconvenience while failing to improve security.
Commuters report long queues, frequent car searches and traffic jams that have turned routine journeys into a nightmare. “We are stuck for hours every day,” said a resident of F-8 sector. “Schools, offices and hospitals are all affected. This is not security – this is harassment.
Public frustration has peaked following the recent cold-blooded murder of a prominent businessman in Islamabad. According to eyewitnesses and police sources, a group of armed men arrived at his residence, opened fire, killed him and injured others and then fled the scene without resistance.
Despite the dense network of checkpoints across the city, the attackers reportedly escaped easily. “When criminals want to do something, they come, commit the crime and go free,” one angry resident told local media. “But law-abiding citizens are the ones who suffer at every corner.” Many point out that the heavy internal checkpoints have done little to stop serious crimes, while seriously disrupting normal life.
Residents and traders have now started demanding immediate relief. A growing number of people are demanding that checkpoints be removed from the city limits and restricted to entry and exit points in Islamabad only. “Checkpoints at the city’s main entrances make sense to screen outsiders,” said a local member of the business association. “However, putting barriers on all internal roads is pointless and counterproductive. It only creates problems for residents and gives criminals time to escape while we are delayed.”
Several social media campaigns and resident welfare groups have started raising the issue, calling on the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration and police to review the security strategy. Official response awaited When contacted, Islamabad police officials defended the checkpoints, saying they were put in place following intelligence reports of possible threats. However, they acknowledged receiving several complaints about traffic disruptions and promised to “review the location of some barriers.”
As public discontent grows, the latest murder incident has become a flashpoint, with many questioning whether the current general security approach is actually making the capital safer or just more chaotic. Further protests and meetings from residents are expected in the coming days if the situation is not addressed.
Traders protest against smart lockdown
On the other hand, traders in Murree staged a strong protest against the smart shutdown and the closure of markets at 8 PM, observed a shut-down strike and held a rally on Mall Road under the banner of Central Anjuman-e-Tajran Murree.
Trade leaders including President Sohrab Abbasi, Chairman Mirza Suhail Baig, General Secretary Haji Nisar Abbasi, Senior Vice President Munawar Ameen Abbasi, Vice President Raja Zahid Ismail and Information Secretary Shahid Mumtaz Abbasi, while accepting the protest, termed the decision to close Mall Road and other markets at 20.00 as unreasonable. They said that tourists, after spending the day at various recreational spots, face difficulties when they visit the Mall Road at night, only to find it closed.
Due to the strike call, all shops and markets remained closed, bringing business activity to a standstill and causing inconvenience to visitors. However, tourists expressed solidarity with the traders and demanded that Murree be exempted from the smart lockdown restrictions.
The protesting traders said the measures have badly affected tourism activities and the local economy, which is entirely dependent on tourism. They added that business and employment opportunities have been seriously affected.
The central Anjuman-e-Tajran Murree urged Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to exempt Murree from the smart lockdown in view of its importance as a tourist destination.
With additional input from DNA
