Daily Times

The business community of the city has demanded that the Rawalpindi district administration boost safety measures around all marketplace areas as Eid shopping was gaining momentum with each passing day. Expressing discontent over the security arrangements made for shopping areas, they said the deployment of police personnel was insufficient compared to the great hustle and bustle of visitors there. Markazi Anjuman-e-Tajran General Secretary Tahir Taj Bhatti said there should be police officers in plain clothes present in susceptible areas and ready to converge on a single whistle in an emergency. Besides, he said, many beggars seek alms but were also involved in criminal activities like pick-pocketing and snatching different items from the people visiting the markets. President of Moti Bazar Chaudhry Iqbal also asked the quarters concerned to beef up the security of city markets, especially during nighttime. City Police Officer Syed Khalid Hamdani assured that foolproof security arrangements had been made to provide a special cover to shopping areas so that customers and traders could feel a sense of security.