025 ushered in no new story on the New Year’s Eve. It was the same old game of ‘chase’ playing out in the streets of Lahore, between the cops and the revellers (read rowdy boys). News media had enough fodder for headlines.

It must be mentioned here that the city administration had warned against aerial firing, one-wheeling and fireworks ahead of the New Year. Special squads of Dolphin Force and emergency police were formed to enforce the regulations. Only three days prior, DIG Athar Waheed had assumed charge as the new CTO. The Environment Protection Department also issued a notification announcing a ban on all kinds of fireworks, in a bid to check air pollution levels.

But the revellers wouldn’t care a hoot. Eventually, the provincial metropolis reverberated with gunshots and fire crackers at the stroke of midnight. There were reports of people being injured by stray bullets.

Like every year, the revellers’ hotspots included The Mall; Liberty Market; Moon Market, Allama Iqbal Town; MM Alam Road, Gulberg; and Shahdara. The youths were spotted breaking into dance in the midst of the busy roads, thereby halting traffic for a good while.

“Celebrating the New Year is our right,” said Amjad Shadab, a resident of Gulberg, who had come to the Liberty Market riding a bike with his friends. “I don’t understand why [the administration] should not let the people enjoy themselves. Have we become too conservative a state or what?”

Rizwan Iqbal, a citizen, appreciated the measures taken by the government to check rowdiness in the streets. He said that earlier women and families out on the road felt harassed because of hooliganism.

Rizwan Iqbal, another citizen, appreciated the measures taken by the government to check rowdiness on the occasion. He said that earlier some women and families on the streets had felt harassed because of hooliganism.

When contacted, Farhan Ali, the spokesperson for Lahore Police, said that the police had come down heavily on those ignoring the prohibitions. He especially mentioned “a comprehensive operation” that had been launched against those flouting the bans on the New Year’s night. It was for public security, he added.

According to Ali, 58 people were arrested for aerial firing; another 50 others were booked in other cases. He also talked of 107 suspects being detained in a crackdown on illegal weapons. In another operation, 63 one-wheelers were apprehended.

Capital City Police Officer Bilal Siddique Kamyana expressed satisfaction over what he termed foolproof security arrangements by the Lahore Police on New Year’s night. The CCPO praised the Lahore Police for demonstrating great coordination and teamwork.

Ahsan Zia is a print and broadcast journalist