LAHORE, Dec 26: Six gambling dens are being run at public places in the city allegedly under the nose of men from a law enforcement agency.

One of them that located in the heart of the city at Mozang Chungi on the Jail Road is being run in the guise of a funfair. A stage for dancers and stalls of electronics and other household items have been set up to give the venue a festive look.

However, an altogether different scene was found when this reporter visited the scene. A man in the uniform of a law enforcing agency along with two personnel of a private security agency was on guard at main entrance. On the left side of the entrance, some officials of a law enforcing agency were present in a tent. Half a dozen of them were performing a guard duty inside the funfair.

Besides stalls, four counters have also been set up for gambling purposes. One of the counter was closed while the rest were open. One counter had a plastic sheet on the main desk. The sheet had animal signs like that of a lion, a horse, a peacock, an elephant, a deer and a camel. There was also a dot board behind the main desk.

Gamblers bet on the animal signs that ranges from Rs100 to 1,000. Managers of the counter spin the board, asking a gambler to aim and throw the dot. The dot hits a sign on the spinning board. Gamblers who bet on the sign hit by the dot win double the money they put at stake.

This reporter saw some 20 to 25 people playing the game and more than Rs50,000 were put at stake.

The second counter has also a sheet with red, blue and white tennis balls printed on it. There is a big glass jar behind the main desk with three colour holes on the surface.

Gamblers bet on three colours. One of them is given a tennis ball who throws it into the jar. The rest bet on three holes. All those gamblers who bet on the hole that catches the ball win.

Some 30 people, including labourers, shopkeepers and students, were bust in the game. The betting range was Rs10 to 100 and Rs10,000 to 25,000 were at stake.

The third counter has a desk with items of daily use like soap, bottles and cosmetics, cigarettes placed on it. Gamblers mostly children and teenager get two rings for Rs5. They throw the ring on the table and win items. Every attempt costs them Rs5.

As this reporter approached one of law enforcer and asked about all the activity going on there, the man in uniform asked him to identify himself. On refusal, the security personnel told him to “be off and mind your own business.”

Similar funfairs have also been set up at five different places in the city. One of them is being run inside a cinema on Abbot Road right in front of the Qila Gujjar Singh police station and the CIA headquarters. Four other funfairs are operating at the Minar-i-Pakistan, Scheme Morr on Multan Road, Shahdara and near a railway crossing in Kot Lakhpat.

Police sources told Dawnthat the law enforcing agency was not alone in the business. Some private parties were also involved in the game as front men. The said the law enforcing agency allegedly received Rs20,000 to 50,000 daily from each of the funfair as protection money. Area police also got their share on a daily basis from the managers of the funfair in their jurisdiction, they said, adding that it was not understandable that higher police hierarchy were ignorant of the practice.

Again, the sources said, the parties had influential people who act as middlemen. The middlemen included businessmen, senior officers of different departments and some mediamen, the sources claimed.