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Peshawar turning into walled city

* Most roads blocked as part of increased security and anti-terrorism measures

By Manzoor Ali Shah

PESHAWAR: Once called the city of flowers, Peshawar’s walled city is gradually turning into a city of walls and barriers, which have been erected on most roads leading to the cantonment area.

The transformation of the city owes its origin to the ongoing war on terror. Prior to suicide bombers attacking streets in the area that they saw as targets, the cantonment area was a vital part of the walled city.

Several roads in the Cantonment and airport areas have been barricaded and closed, not allowing access to the public, and the area between Mall Road and Khyber Road is also off limits as security barriers have been set on these link roads. Peshawar resident Ishaq told Daily Times he was recently travelling to the Babar Lane area and was unable to cross Khalid Bin Walid Park, which had been blocked. He had to use an alternative route along Fakhr-e-Alam road.

Blocked: “To my disappointment there was a small wall erected on this link road as well so I had to go back without meeting my friend,” he said. The road leading to the US Consulate is blocked to commuters, although pedestrians walking to Khyber Road and the university from Cantonment can use this road. The road leading to the governor and chief minister’s houses from Sher Shah Suri Road has also been blocked and security personnel are permanently on guard.

“The world, thanks to the American led war on terror has become a big Bantustan,” remarked Adil Zareef, general secretary of the Sarhad Conservation Network (SCN) when asked about the construction of security barriers.

An Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement released on Sunday said that the military administration has also established check posts on various roads in the Peshawar Cantonment area due to prevailing poor law and order and to protect the Cantt residents and offices of secret agencies from possible terrorist attacks. It said that the military administration would open all Cantt roads for general traffic and public once law and order improved. Vehicles passing through the Cantonment to reach Khyber Road must have special permits, given to them by the military authorities stuck on their cars.

Similarly another road linking Shah Suri Road with Fort Road near the Governor House has been permanently closed, while link road near the Peshawar Press Club (PPC) has also been closed and walls has been erected there recently, blocking the connection between Sher Shah Suri Road and Mall Road.

Police Road, which runs in front of the Peshawar Police Lines and NWFP Civil Secretariat, does not allow taxis and rickshaws to drive along it.

Another link road connecting Bara Road with Mall Road near the airport has also been fenced and nearly seven to eight link roads that connected Khyber Road with the Cantonment have been barricaded.

These roads are in addition to the small pickets and barriers used in every nook and corner of the city for the purpose of security.

Another wall has been constructed around Hayatabad as a security measure.

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