LAHORE, Oct 15: Lahore police and the district administration on Monday completely failed to provide security to those shopkeepers who wanted to keep their shutters open.

Activists of different religious parties armed with batons and firearms forced the shopkeepers to pull down shutters in different localities of the city. Besides this, the armed men blocked different roads and kept on diverting vehicular traffic to different routes. Exchange of harsh words and brawls between strikers, shopkeepers and motorists were also reported in some parts. Police and personnel of other law-enforcing agencies did nothing to prevent strikers from using force to close shops. they just removed burnt tyres from roads at least 50 places.

The shopkeepers at some places sought police help, but to no avail. The policemen were seen advising traders not to clash with the activists of the religious parties. “Close your shop for sometime and reopen once when the mob is gone,” a police officer told a shopkeeper on Ferozepur Road when he sought his help.

No major law and order problem was reported except for some minor clashes. A handful of activists protesting at a chowk near the Lahore railway station pelted policemen with stones. In return, the police chased and baton-charged them. Another such incident was reported in Shahdara when policemen tried to restrain the activists from burning tyres and blocking road. Nobody was reported hurt in the incident.

The forceful closure of the shops proved the claims of police and administration officials wrong. They had promised to provide a security cover to shopkeepers wanting to open shops at a meeting held at the army headquarters on Sunday night. Instructions in this regard were also issued to the senior police command when some traders in the meeting expressed their apprehensions about the loss of life and property in case they refused to close their shops.

“I have already closed my shop,” said a businessman on The Mall, adding: “Tell me how can I afford to refuse armed activists when nobody from law-enforcing agencies comes to may rescue.?”

On the other hand, heavy police contingents were deployed at different places of the city to ward off any untoward situation. Some 35 places had been declared extra sensitive where police commandos were deployed. Anti-riot police force, commandos from the Elite Force and plainclothesmen from the intelligence agencies were also on guard. Armed personnel carriers were also available to commandos at some places.

The police and the city administration had set up separate control rooms for coordination among different agencies and forces on duty. The control rooms receiving reports from different parts of the city and passed them on to their seniors. No case in this regard was registered till late night.