PESHAWAR - In order to foil any terror bid in the provincial capital on Eid-ul-Fitr, Peshawar police chalked out a major security plan.
According to police, heavy contingent of police and Frontier Constabulary (FC) would be deployed on famous mosques, Imambargahs and other important public points to foil any untoward incident during the three days of Eid-ul-Fitr. Around 5,000 troops would be deployed at different points of Peshawar.
The IGP directed cops to provide peaceful atmosphere to the general public so that they can observe Eid-ul-Fitr in a religious fervour. They were further directed to give much needed relief to the general public, take special care of the poor and aged people and demonstrate decent behaviour with everyone.
The IGP pointed out that the enemy was eagerly waiting to take full advantage of the slackness and negligence of the police and directed the cops to remain alert during the duty and foil the nefarious designs of the anti-state elements in a befitting manner.
IGP Nasir Durrani directed police to carry out checking in all shopping markets through bomb disposal squads and sniffer dogs. Police were also directed to launch a special campaign against aerial firing on the eve of Eid-ul-Fitr.
Policemen will perform duties on roads, busy shopping centres and other sensitive buildings during three days of Eid celebration. Two to three cops would perform duty outside the big mosques of the city while police officials in plain clothes would also be deputed to keep close watch over suspected elements inside mosques during big congregations of Eid prayer.
Special duties have been assigned to city police while their holidays have been cancelled to perform duties on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr. Special focus would be given to public parks including Colonel Sher Khan Stadium, Khalid Park, Bagh-e-Naran and Tatara Park because people from the far-flung areas visit these parks for enjoyment. Police have also erected road barriers on main Saddar Road to check the entry of the suspected vehicles.
The police high-ups will also patrol in their vehicles to review the security arrangements in the city. The main entry points of Saddar and cantonment have been closed for general traffic. Likewise, Qissa Khawani Bazaar and Khyber Bazaar have also been closed for general traffic aimed to foil any major terror bid.
People throng markets for Eid shopping amid improved security
After improvement in security situation in Peshawar, huge rush of shoppers, including women, was observed in bazaars as compared to previous Eidul Fitr and the people thronged various markets to buy garments, shoes and other necessary items for Eid.
"Due to price hike, it seems difficult to get every thing but still people go for affordable or expensive things as the festival of Eid-ul-Fitr comes once a year and people celebrate it in a festive mood," said Murtaza, a shopkeeper at a local market.
Electricity loadshedding and rising temperature are hurdles for shopping during day hours and mostly people prefer to go for shopping in the evening, he said. The trend of arranging special exhibitions for women and children before Eid has increased for the last few years, he added.
The inflation has broken the backbone of the low-income people, however, the women, children and young girls thronged the markets for Eid shopping, while the shopkeepers have been demanding high rates of readymade garments, jewellery, different kinds of cosmetics, earrings, gleaming bangles, embroidered clothes and colourful dresses.
Like every year, a larger number of makeshift shops have been set up with decorating lights to attract the customers.
Arshad Khan who had come from a far-off area of Peshawar told The Nation that it was difficult to do shopping due to price hike and inflation.
Many shoppers while commenting on this occasion said that due to high prices, many things were beyond their purchasing power and they were compelled to just stick to limited shopping like one suit, one pair of shoes, one matching bangles and little cosmetics. The prices of children garments are very high, one Inamullah said while talking to this scribe.