Another road in Capital blocked

Among the increasing number of road blockades and barricades by the law enforcement agencies in the city, another road in front of Special Branch Police Headquarters has been blocked since Saturday after terrorists attack on General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi. The road, called Sachal Sarmast Road is the busiest road of G-7 Markaz as various shopping centres of Sitara Market and important government offices are located along this road. The offices of Pakistan Post, Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL), CDA cricket ground, Ch Rahmat Ali Community Centre are situated on this road. The offices of Regional Directorate of National Savings and National Savings Centre are also positioned in the neighboring of this road.

It is pertinent to mention here that this road also leads to Daewoo Bus Terminal and Khada Market where various automobile workshops are located. The residents of all sub sectors of G-7 sector and other people who visit Sitara Market as well as Khada Market are facing great inconvenience as both sides of traffic passes through the single lane of Sachal Sarmast Road, which can cause any untoward incident.

Anwar Nawaz, a resident of G-7/2, said that various barricades at 9th Avenue and 8th Avenue already surrounded dwellers of that area and this new road blockade had added to the miseries of that area. Jawad, another resident of G-7/1, commented that there was a very blind turn on the road leading to Khada Market and it could be very dangerous for motorists as both sides of traffic had to use one lane after the blockade.

The residents of the capital are already facing traffic problems as different roads in front of important law enforcement agencies and government as well as private buildings are located. The one lane of each road in front of Marriott Hotel and Serena Hotel has already been closed by the administration of these buildings. In the same way, the one lane of each road in front of Islamabad Police Lines, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and various roads in front of various embassies is also blocked due to security reasons.

This situation raises various questions in the mind of a peaceful citizen of the Capital.

The first question is that the whole administration of the city is deputed to protect these important buildings and the general masses are left at the mercy of God? The second question is that why such important installations are located within the residential areas leaving the lives of citizens in extreme dangers. Ijaz Nayyer, a lawyer by profession, said that in advanced world like Europe and America, such type of sensitive security offices were established outside the residential areas to save the citizens from any untoward situation as well as for the proper security of these buildings.

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