All public parks lack security

LAHORE

Almost all public parks in the provincial metropolis are sitting ducks for terror attacks as there virtually are no security personnel or equipment to prevent such cowardly move.

Today’s blast inside Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park in Allama Iqbal Town is a clear example of this fact and proves the ‘vigilance’ of the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA), which is the main controlling authority of majority of public parks in the city. Sources said there are no metal detectors as well as walk-through gates installed at any of the public parks in the city. Sources said some metal detectors were given to the security guards at Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park but they were not using them.

A source inside the security of Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park claimed that there are around two dozen internal security guards while only two policemen are deputed at the park’s main entrance to check the visitors. Similarly, there is only one policeman deputed at Bagh-e-Jinnah for security duty.

Soon after the blast, internal security teams of various public parks and other recreational places i.e. Model Town Park, Nawaz Sharif Park, Jallo Park, Lahore Zoo Safari Park, Lahore Zoo, Bagh-e-Jinnah, Racecourse Park, River Ravi Park, Lahore Fort, Shahi Hamam and other recreational places were vacated from tourists and visitors.

Annual Urs of Hazrat Shah Turt Murad was going on in Bagh-e-Jinnah but the authorities have asked the devotees to vacate the park. Similarly the ongoing shopping festival organised by Walled City of Lahore Authority at the stairs of Lahore Fort opposite Rim Market was closed down. Extra security was deployed at the Fort Road Fort Street, said spokesperson of the authority while talking with The News.

Shabnam Ikram, a visitor at Racecourse Park said that in the evening, a large number of police personnel entered the park and started asking people to vacate the park. Security personnel of parks, armed with batons were also accompanying the police.

Ironically, there is no security at any of the parks and thousands of people daily visit public parks in the City. A rush of people was observed on holidays at all parks and commonly there was only one or two guards present at the entry gates of public parks and usually were armed with batons.

Zahid, a security personnel of Bagh-e-Jinnah said that about 20 internal security guards were performing duties in the park. He said the park was evacuated soon after the blast in Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park. He confirmed that there was no metal detector or any other latest equipment installed in the park.

Amjad Ali, a resident of Faisal Town, said that he was with his family in at Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park when the explosion held at the other side of the park. He said there was no security in the park and there was no checking or body search system in this biggest park of the city.

However, Mian Shakeel, Director General PHA claimed that metal detectors had already provided to the security guards of every public park under the jurisdiction of PHA. He said CCTV cameras were installed at Jillani Park (Racecourse Park) while walk-through gates were also installed. 

Answering a question about lack of security arrangements at public parks, he said the incident occurred due to extraordinary rush of people. He said that PHA was managing over 800 parks in the provincial capital and it was impossible to enhance security at every park. He, however, said security would be increased at all major public parks.