The sudden ‘snap-checking’ by law enforcement agencies in Karachi’s Red Zone on Monday triggered worst traffic jams in the city’s downtown area due to which thousands of vehicles remained stuck for hours.

Police and Rangers personnel set up pickets for snap checking on Monday afternoon at PDIC, near Sindh Rangers headquarters, and Governor House.

Traffic jams occurred on Dr Ziauddin Ahmed Road, I I Chundrigar Road, Rafiq Shaheed Road, Abdullah Haroon Road and other linked roads. It caused immense inconveniences to the commuters as thousands of vehicles remained stuck near CM House, Governor House, Karachi Press Club and adjoining areas.

The impact of traffic jam was also felt on main M A Jinnah Road and other adjoining areas in South district where the commuters remained stranded in the traffic for hours.

Traffic police officials said, “Due to snap checking by Rangers, one road from PIDC to Shaheen Complex was closed for traffic.”

The officials said that since it was the first day of the week, there was peak flow of traffic and because of office closing timing the traffic was also moving slowly.

The traffic problem got normal only after “Rangers personnel finished snap checking at Ziauddin Road, removed the barriers and opened the road for traffic,” said one official.

Later, the SSP South Sarfraz Nawaz claimed that snap checking was initiated to control street crimes ahead of Ramazan, which caused “some traffic problems”.

However, Sarfraz Nawaz added that now they have decided that snap checking would be done in coordination with traffic police in order to avoid such traffic jams in future.