ISLAMABAD: In an unprecedented move, the capital administration and police on Tuesday forcefully shut down all commercial centres in Islamabad, claiming that the step was part of security arrangements for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.

Talking to Dawn, senior officers of the police and district administration said 12 prime ministers and three foreign ministers had arrived in the capital. The arrival of the VVIPs started at 12 noon and continued till 2pm on Tuesday, the officers added.

All shops, restaurants, bakeries, milk, meat, poultry and green grocery shops were closed by police and district administration officials. Only medical stores and fuel stations remained open.

Due to the sudden closures, a large number of people could not get edible items.

Police, admin officers claim step taken as part of SCO security

As part of security measures, all commercial centres, including Markaz, were closed till Wednesday on the directions of the district administration.

However, Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Irfan Nawaz Memon had earlier claimed that no business or commercial centres/entities would be shut down during the SCO summit.

But on Tuesday morning, teams from the police and the district administration reached all commercial centres and Markaz in Islamabad and forcefully shut them down, the officers said.

Some shopkeepers put up resistance and asked them to produce written orders.

Over their insistence, the shopkeepers were picked up on the directives of the officials of the administration and shifted to different police installations.

The officers said that fearing a protest by the PTI despite the party’s late night announcement to cancel it, police and administration remained on their toes.

Over 12,000 officials and officers have been on security and other duties for several days.

Meanwhile, the capital police also closed different roads in the capital.

The police said Islamabad Expressway, Murree Road and Srinagar Highway were closed on Tuesday due to the movements of VVIPs and VIPs. The expressway remained closed from the pedestrian bridge at ZTBL to Gulberg Green; IJP Road from Ninth Avenue to Faizabad and Murree Road from Faizabad to Dhokri Chowk.

Moreover, in a letter addressed to the Islamabad police inspector general and the chief commissioner, the interior ministry stated that the Islamabad High Court had ordered the ministry to ensure that no unlawful protest was held in Islamabad, especially during the SCO summit, to avert potential disruptions to peace and lockdown situation.

This order was passed by the IHC on October 5 while hearing a petition filed by All Traders Welfare Association Blue Area Islamabad.

The order stated, “Moreover, the respondents shall ensure that no unlawful protest is held in ICT that creates a situation of lockdown or disrupts peace in the capital during the SCO summit.”

In light of the court order, the administration is, therefore, “directed to prevent and stop any unlawful assembly or protest in the capital especially during the high-profile event of SCO summit and implement robust security measures to maintain law and order in Islamabad,” the letter added.

The capital police, meanwhile, have made foolproof security arrangements for the international event.

According to guidelines issued by the IGP, entry of unconcerned people was prohibited into the high security zone and venues of the summit.

The security of the venues of the summit and routes of the visiting delegates will be ensured by technical teams. No one will be allowed to carry mobile phones at the conference venue and special coded cards have been issued to the officials on duty.

The DIG Islamabad was made responsible for the security of the entire capital while the DIG security for the security of the conference and other venues. Besides, the director general Safe City Project was made responsible for digital surveillance.

Similarly, the capital administration was made responsible for related services, including rescue services.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2024