Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: People are ready to welcome the coming New Year with a lot of spirit and joy as New Year is the time of enthusiasm, optimism, and hope for a better, peaceful, and more stable future.

It is the largest global celebrations including Pakistan which marks the last day of the year and welcome coming year with new hopes. Resolutions are made, new aspirations are born, and goals are decided for the coming time. Some major cities organise fireworks show, which are set off at midnight and host cultural festivals, music festivals, modern day New Year parties, and live concerts which help people forget all their past troubles of the past, and move ahead to the new time with smiles and cheers all around.

Having a party is one of the best ways to spend quality time on that glorious night. People throw a get-together at home with friends or family members to have a wonderful time.

A college student Amnah Saeed said: “It brings hope, keenness and happiness in the lives of general people. People exchange greetings on new year that gives a new hope for the next year”.

People go outside for shopping to avail New Year special discount offers at various stores and become the part of the outside crowd; buy gifts, clothes, jewellery, shoes and other things for themselves and their families to celebrate the occasion.

A youngter, Ahad Malik said: “I have planned a bar-be-que party and fire works with my friends on the night of December 31, the new year’s night and it always brings pleasure and instils new hope for us.”

The excitement and enthusiasm is quite noticeable on faces of girls and boys in malls. Shopkeepers make special arrangements for the New Year night by decorating their shops with lighting and music to reflect the joyous spirit and to attract the shoppers.

A worker at a bakery, Imran Asad said: “We have received a considerable number of orders for the new year. The sale of cupcakes and cakes had increased considerably, and would increase further at the start of the New Year.

Some restaurants and cafes offer special New Year deals for food lovers and some pizza points introduce special buy one get one offer on such occasions.

2100 policemen to perform security duty: Some 2,100 policemen will perform duty to ensure security during New Year’s night in the federal capital.

On the instructions of the Inspector General of Police, Islamabad Tariq Masood Yasin, SSP Islamabad, Mir Vais Niaz and SSP (Traffic)

Malik Matloob, the officers have devised a security and traffic plan deputing police contingents at all important places, shopping centres, main markets for the safety of the public during the night, a police a spokesman said on Friday.

Police commandos will be deployed at different places apart from patrolling by the ASPs, the DSPs, inspectors and provision of more strength of men to police stations. All the police stations have been directed to ensure fool proof security arrangements in their respective areas while 1,500 policemen, including Rangers personnel will perform duties in various areas.

The SSP (Traffic) has also constituted special squads to maintain the traffic flow in the capital and has made a detailed deployment plan to control the traffic in the city. He has also directed the staff to take strict action against one wheeling, racing and those running bikes and vehicles without silencers.

More than 600 traffic policemen in the form of various teams headed by zonal DSPs, inspectors and beat officers will be deployed in the whole district. Special traffic police squads will also keep patrolling to curb one-wheeling and racing practices especially on the Murree Road, Faizabad and the Rawal Dam Road.

Operational police will also assist the Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) to check rash driving on the occasion.

SSP Mir Vais Niaz has directed all station house officers to maintain close coordination with other police wings for ensuring elaborate security. Special police deployment will be also ensured at Blue Area, Super Market, Jinnah Super Market, Sectors F-10 and F-11, Faizabad and Aabpara Market while police reserves will remain on stand-by for assistance in case of any untoward situation. Plain-clothes policemen will be deputed at various locations while special security duties have been assigned at churches and Christian colonies. Likewise, all Eagle and Falcon squads and Rescue 15 staff will also perform their security duties.