KARACHI, Dec 21 The barriers that have been placed across a large number of streets of the metropolis have left the authorities in an awkward situation since, in addition to being illegal, they restrict the freedom of movement of citizens, law enforcement personnel and emergency workers.

However, the residents of such blocked-off localities argue that they have little option but to take these self-help measures since the government and the law enforcement agencies appear helpless against the growing levels of crime in the city.

And while the various political parties active in the city have mixed views regarding the legitimacy or need of such barriers, various observers point out the dangers inherent in sectioning off in this way a city that is already geographically divided across ethnic and political lines.

In recent times, the city has witnessed the growing phenomenon of roads being blocked off permanently or between certain hours by residents or mohalla committees on the pretext of ensuring security for their localities. In addition, various political parties, politicians, and mosque or Imamabargah managements have installed barriers on certain streets to prevent the passage of ordinary traffic and thereby protect their offices or residences.

Currently, the relevant authorities have no data regarding the number or locations of roads and streets that have been blocked off by such illegally-installed barriers.

Official sources confirmed, however, except for barriers installed in the proximity of foreign missions, all such obstructions are illegal. Investigations undertaken by Dawn revealed that other than a law enforcement section - which deals with the workings of the police and Rangers, etc - of the provincial home department, no government functionary or department has the authority to grant permission for the installation of barriers on public roads. In fact, such an act is considered a punishable offence by the Police Order 2002.

Despite this, however, the barriers were installed at various times because, it seems, the issue was never seriously taken up at any level. Background interviews with senior government officials suggested that because of this, the authorities turned a blind eye towards the installation of the barriers until the matter became an issue of growing public concern.

Subsequently, the Sindh government recently decided that all illegally-installed barriers, which restrict the movement of law enforcement agencies and emergency workers, would be removed. This decision drew strong criticism from the quarters concerned, which has forced the authorities to sort out the modalities before the launch of any removal operation.

Erection of barriers

an offence

“We have never issued any permission to anyone to install barriers [on streets],” stated the Special Secretary, Home, Kamran Dost. “Foreign missions alone, and nobody else, are allowed to install barriers for their security under a set policy.”

Mr Dost toldDawn that town or union council nazims do not have the authority to give permission in this regard, since the matter had nothing to do with the local government system.

His comments were agreed to by Gulberg Town Nazim Mohamed Kamal, who said that technically, the town administration has no right to grant residents the permission to install barriers. “We merely issue a no-objection certificate if a welfare association or a mohalla committee approaches us in terms of installing barriers as a measure for self-protection,” he said. “The no-objection certificate merely indicates that the town administration has no objection if such barriers are installed after all the requisite legal formalities have been completed.”

Article 139(c)(d) of the Police Order 2002 states “No person shall cause obstruction in any street or public place by using any part of a street or public place as a halting place for vehicles or cattle; or by causing obstruction in any other manner.”

Meanwhile, Article 141 says that “any person who contravenes any of the provisions of Articles 138 to 140 shall, on conviction, be punished with a fine, which may extend to Rs10,000, or, in default of payment, with imprisonment for a term not exceeding 30 days.”

The police, however, may install or remove a barrier on any street in the pursuit of its duties, a senior police officer told Dawn.

According to Article 124 of the Police Order 2002, “any police officer may, in an emergency, temporarily close any street or public place through the erection of barriers or other means, to prohibit persons or vehicles from entering such areas.”

The police officer said in consultation with the provincial home department, the police may exercise these powers by placing barricades on several roads as part of the security measures for a procession, public meeting etc or around government installations.

Police, rescue services hindered

The issue goes far beyond the mere wrangling over technicalities and legal prerequisites, however.

Regardless of some citizens' claim of feeling safer because of the presence of the barriers, rescue and emergency workers pointed out that such obstructions prove major hindrances in case of any accident or some other untoward event. Referring to a host of incidences in which fire tenders or ambulances were delayed or got stuck in a street shut off by a barrier, they said that especially during the night, it takes extra time - which is of seminal importance during an emergency - to reach the troubled spot.

Similarly, some critics said that rather than improve security, such barriers can help criminals dodge the law by hampering the movement of law enforcement agencies.

As the controversy deepens, the government claims to be in the process of sorting out the modalities vis a vis the issuance of permission for the installation of barriers where necessary.
The Special Secretary Home, Mr Dost, told Dawn that “A decision in this regard is yet to be taken. A survey will be conducted in order to ascertain which barriers should be allowed or removed.”
Meanwhile, a senior government official said on the condition of anonymity that there exists a dire need to formulate specific rules with regard to the installation of barriers and their timings, the routes that can be used as alternatives, and who has the authority to grant permission for the installation of such barriers.

“It should also be ascertained whether these barriers prove a nuisance to the citizenry, or serve their claimed purpose of security,” he said. “In this regard, the role should be given to the union council or town nazims who can reach a decision in consultation with the area's police.”

Political parties disagree
The various political parties active in the city have differing views regarding the installation of barriers at various locations.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader and provincial minister Faisal Subzwari told Dawn that in installing barriers, citizens are acting on a self-help basis to shield themselves against street crimes and robberies.

“Like Malir Cantt, there are many areas where the barriers are manned by guards who check identification before allowing a vehicle to enter,” he said. “The barriers were paid for out of the pockets of the citizens, who obtained permission from the UC nazim and the area police. They had to do this, given the fact that the police-to-citizen ratio in the city is far too low and it is not possible for the police to man each and every street.”

However, his views were not accepted by Amin Khattak, a provincial leader of the Awami National Party (ANP), who said that the barriers allow criminals to dodge law enforcement officers. He advocated strongly the need to immediately remove all the barriers across the city.

“The barriers not only restrict the movement of the police and Rangers, but also provide miscreants with the opportunity to dodge the law,” he stated. “The ANP wants the immediate removal of all the barriers in the city; we do not know why the government has not already done so, given a decision taken by the all-parties' conference.”

Rejecting the idea that citizens are installing barriers in order to restrict the movement of people of
other communities in their areas, Mr Khattak said that “it is not right to attribute such thinking to people. Some political group may harbour such desires but by and large, the Urdu-speaking and the Pushtoon people are peaceful and they have free access to their respective areas.”On the other hand the city chief of the Jamaat-i-Islami, Mohammed Hussain Mehnti, blamed the alarming increase in crime for forcing citizens to come up with measures to protect themselves, such as the barriers.

However, he added, some political groups have also installed barriers to deny other people's entry into their areas.

“Ideally, there should be no need for such barriers if the government provided full security to each and every citizen,” he said. “But in the current circumstances, where incidents of robbery, street crime and other sorts of violence are increasing, there is no harm in citizens installing barriers in an effort to protect themselves. However, I think the government of Sindh has been correct in the decision to conduct a survey of all the barriers before launching a removal operation. Any barriers that restrict the movement of law enforcers and ordinary citizens ought to be removed.”
On the other hand Saeed Ghani, a leader of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and the leader of the opposition in the City Council, is against the installation of barriers, and expressed the view that no one had the right to block a road under any pretext.

“No barrier has been installed in my union council,” he claimed. “It is unfair to close a road or street; in fact, the people of my area challenged the closure of an entrance to Defence in the Sindh High Court and won.”