Road blockades removed ahead of New Year Eve festivities in Karachi

KARACHI: Sindh Home Minister Sohail Anwar Sial says no roads will be closed ahead of New Year Eve festivities in the metropolis.

Speaking to media during his visit to Defence and Clifton areas of the city, he said he has ordered the authorities to remove shipping containers placed on the roads of the city after receiving complaints about roads blockades in the city.

“I will also be present on the roads to celebrate the New Year,” he said and announced a crackdown against those resorting to aerial firing, one-wheeling of motorbikes and riding motorcycles without silencers.

He said he has ordered the police to ensure implementation of Section 144 imposed in the city.

Ban on New Year festivities in District South

The District South police have imposed a ban on holding parties and functions on New Year’s Eve in their jurisdiction.

Talking to The News, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Javed Akbar Riaz said that the decision was taken in view of a possible security threat. He said the police had finalized a security plan for New Year’s Eve after consulting with the district’s local administrations.

He said a threat perception prevailed on such occasion for which the police had already adopted extra security measures.

In this regard, he said the police had written a letter to the administrations and managers of hotel, clubs and guest houses in District South with a subject: “No permission to organise functions in yours hotels, clubs and guest houses.”

The letter said people would celebrate New Year’s Eve with full enthusiasm throughout the city. “Large number of youngsters will visit seaside, beaches, recreational places and parks. Therefore, the possibility of a terrorist activity or law and order situation by anti-social elements and religious agitators cannot be ruled out,” it said,

“You are hereby informed that no functions and parties should be organised in your hotels, clubs, guest houses from the evening of December 31, 2017 till the morning of January 1, 2018 to avoid any untoward incident.”

SSP Riaz said the request shall be strictly implemented on New Year’s Eve. “This time we shall not close the main roads leading towards Defence and Clifton areas like they were previously closed, but we shall only close the thoroughfares leading towards main Sea View Road. However, the rest of whole District South shall remain open.”

To a query, SSP Riaz said they had organised an awareness campaign on Saturday evening near Punjab Chowrangi in collaboration with the civil society, the Citizens-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) and others where they had informed the public that aerial firing was illegal and a lawful action would be taken against the perpetrators.

Due to aerial firing on New Year’s Eve, he said, many precious lives were lost and directions had been issued to DSPs and SHOs of the respective jurisdictions to conduct maximum patrolling and nab the law violators.

On the contrary, the deputy commissioner for District West on December 24 had said that there was no ban on organising private gatherings at the Hawkesbay and Sandspit beaches on New Year’s Eve.

The announcement afforded some respite to citizens as the Sea View and Clifton beaches, which fall in District South, are virtually rendered no-go zones every New Year's night by law enforcement agencies.