KARACHI: The containers placed around one of the city’s main arteries, M.A. Jinnah Road, and on all roads leading to it for security ahead of the Muharram 9 and 10 processions may have blocked common people from passing through but they cannot stop the felons.

This was obvious on Monday after some shops at Empress Market that had been sealed till after Ashura were burgled.

“It was like this last year as well when somebody broke into the sealed mobile phone shops in Dildar Shopping Centre and stole everything. Today, we hear that a few shops in Empress Market were looted despite the seals,” said Ghazi, a private security guard outside a shoe store on Dr Daudpota Road.

“There is heavy deployment of police on that side. Who then could have robbed the shops? Your guess is as good as mine,” he said.

Just then several young men with cricket bats in hand, climbed on top of the containers from the other side to get to the Saddar side. “We only wanted to play cricket on the empty roads but we were picked up by a police mobile at around 10am today. They locked us up until evening, slapped us around and kept our CNICs before letting us go, finally,” said one of the men requesting anonymity.

“Please don’t write our names in your newspaper or else the policemen will read them and never return our identity cards,” he said.

Three worried looking women also helplessly stared up at the monstrosities in their way and asked others if they knew any other way from where they could pass through. The men told them that the only way through was by climbing over the containers which made them hang their heads.

“We are babysitters. We just returned from work and need to go to Garden, where we live,” said Naheed.

“Leave alone a car, taxi or rickshaw, there isn’t even any place for pedestrians to pass through,” said Samina.

“Where are we going to spend the night or the days till Ashura?” said Parveen.

Watching the women’s plight, Ghazi, the security guard, sadly shook his head. “For three years now, they have been placing containers here as early as Muharram 8. Still, there used to be way open for pedestrians to pass through from one side at least, which hasn’t happened this time. It’s all completely blocked. Men are okay as they can climb over the containers, leap and jump off the other side. But the poor women obviously cannot do all that,” he said.

Another unhappy individual, Peter, was there also with his wife and daughter Monica. The family said they lived in Yasir Complex opposite Karachi Grammar School and couldn’t reach home. “In these circumstances we have no other choice but to impose on my brother in Askari III. We have to stay there until they remove the containers,” said Peter.

“I remember last year, too, there were containers all over and there was this trapped woman holding her dying baby in her arms. She wanted to reach the 7th Day Adventist Hospital but neither could she reach there nor any other hospital as she was trapped in the middle by the containers which also blocked all exits,” Peter said.

“I wanted to go to the church next to the hospital but I, too, was prevented by the blocks. I want to know if these containers are for providing security for a religious observance, why should they prevent others from fulfilling their religious obligations?”

Published in Dawn October 11th, 2016