Fireworks business in full bloom

Rawalpindi : Trade of fireworks is in full swing in Narankari Bazaar of Rawalpindi reportedly under the umbrella of the area police.

On one side, the business of event management has collapsed and inadequately affected from the pandemic coronavirus and people engaged with the event management industry, have destroyed their financial state of affairs but one the other hand, the firework industry is growing, even in the pandemic virus, the people engaged in the event management trade said when contacted by this scribe.

Narankari Bazaar Rawalpindi is eminent for sale of different items of fireworks and as per reliable information, police officials use to mint money from shopkeepers of fireworks and allow them to keep continuing business under their nose.

City police station officials on account of crackdown against fireworks have increased rates of shopkeepers to sell the fireworks under the police shelter.

‘The News’ learnt that staff of a police officer, has reportedly been accomplice in secret support for fireworks sellers and amidst top season of fireworks, police officials have also increased their rates for shopkeepers under secret understanding allow sale of the fireworks in the jurisdictions of city police station.

It has also been learnt that areas in the jurisdictions of Ganjmandi Police Station and City Police Station are famous locations for sale of fireworks since inception of Pakistan.

There have also been instances of fire eruption in these localities couple of times earlier but despite all unfortunate incidents, sale of fireworks is prospering in these areas as the most profitable business.

In Narankari Bazaar, more than two dozen shopkeepers are associated with fireworks business with connivance of police.

There are reports that average daily sale of fireworks business in Narankari Bazaar is more than Rs10 million.

Fireworks season is at peak in Rawalpindi nowadays and Ganjmandi Police Station use to give okay reports to senior police officials and make a routine raid once in a month and confiscate fireworks items with objectives to please senior police officials.

The detainee fireworks dealers with support of police officials get bails, the event management industry sources claimed.

Sources also revealed that fireworks items are transported from Peshawar to Ganjmandi Rawalpindi and from there, specific labourers shifted these cartons to godowns.

The situation demands special teams of CPO Rawalpindi and RPO Rawalpindi with assistance of Special Branch monitor this illicit business of fireworks sale and surprised revelations will be unearthed, if this locality of Rawalpindi is monitored.