KARACHI: Seven years after barricades were installed outside the Bilawal House, the co-chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party Asif Ali Zardari asked Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah on Tuesday to remove them in conformity with the policy of law-enforcement agencies about the dismantling of such hurdles in the city.

“Despite security threats, we are removing the barriers in front of Bilawal House, Karachi, on the instructions of President Asif Ali Zardari,” said PPP Vice President Sherry Rehman in a statement issued on Tuesday.

She said: “Necessary directives have been issued to Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah in this regard”.

Jamil Soomro, a party official in Bilawal House, said the statement issued by Ms Rehman was ‘self-evident’ when it said the barriers ‘in front of Bilawal House’ were being removed. Other party officials, however, did not clarify if the barriers to be removed would include the concrete structures that blocked one track of Shahrah-i-Saadi.

“One has to keep in mind that it is not just an ordinary building, but it is the house of Bhuttos, who have been martyred in repeated attacks. Still, our party leader decided to face all sorts of dangers,” he said.

Sources in the provincial government said the chief minister would soon formally order removal of barricades.

However, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon said the work would be taken up at the earliest. Other sources said it could be undertaken late on Tuesday night or Wednesday morning.

Until recently, the ruling party was not ready to remove the barriers from outside the Bilawal House as the provincial home department had “requested” the paramilitary force to exempt the venue in view of security of the former president.

The barriers include the concrete walls that have blocked one track of Shahrah-i-Saadi.

The request was followed by a statement from Sindh IG Ghulam Hyder Jamali who said the concrete structure along Bilawal House could not be demolished due to persistent security threats to the building which was given the status of the president’s camp office from 2008 to 2013 when Mr Zardari was president.

The Rangers had earlier “appealed” to Karachi citizens to remove barriers from their neighbourhoods themselves within three days, as they were hampering movement and work of law-enforcement agencies.

The home department had also demanded exemption from removing barricades outside the residence of former president, retired Gen Pervez Musharraf, in the Generals Colony.

Published in Dawn, April 1st, 2015

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