KARACHI, Sept 12: Tight security on Fatima Jinnah Road inconvenienced book lovers, who, in some cases, were frisked before being allowed to walk to the book bazaar held on the lawns of the Frere Hall on Sunday.
Police also made visitors park their cars near the Metropole Hotel, however, later in the evening they were asked to take away their cars as a VIP was expected to pass by the Metropole Hotel.
Ban on parking of cars on the premises of the Frere Hall was in violation of the instructions issued by City Nazim Naimatullah Khan, who had asked the police last week to allow visitors to park their vehicles near the book bazaar.
Saddar Town Police Officer Sanaullah Abbasi, who came to the book bazaar in the evening, told Dawn that he had asked police officials to allow elderly visitors to park their cars on the premises of the Frere Hall. However, he said, that young visitors would be made to walk to the book bazaar.
But it was obvious that Mr Abbasi's juniors were in no mood to implement his orders, because they allowed no unauthorized car to pass the barrier on Fatima Jinnah Road. It may be recalled that Capital City Police Chief Tariq Jamil told Dawn on Saturday that if Karachi Nazim Naimatullah issued such instructions, the police would allow visitors to take their vehicles to the venue of the book bazaar.
He added that he had conveyed to the nazim the police's concerns about the security of the US Consulate's residence on Fatima Jinnah Road and the US Consulate on Abdullah Haroon Road.
