ISLAMABAD, Oct 14: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) is considering to close down all weekly bazaars in the federal capital to avoid any terrorism, a CDA source said on Sunday.

The source told Dawn that in view of the prevailing uncertainty in the country, chances of terrorism had increased. Despite security measures, terrorists can strike in these bazaars, the source said.

Three weekly bazaars are held at different areas of Islamabad, G-9/4, G-6 and I-9 sectors.

The CDA had closed these bazaars last year when incidents of bomb explosions in the country were on the rise. “These bazaars were closed down after a bomb exploded at Sabzi Mandi that claimed 20 lives and injured over a 100 people”, the source said.

If these bazaars are closed, the people of Islamabad may be deprived of a facility of buying consumer items, fruits and vegetables on reasonable and cheaper rates.

Similarly, some 3,000 people associated with weekly bazaars would be deprived of their earnings and face financial crisis.

A trader at Sunday Bazaar said: “Closing down these bazaars is not the way to control the situation.” However, the Authority and the local administration have taken tight security measures in these bazaars and deployed police personnel in plain clothes.

The CDA decided to strictly observe business timings during weekly bazaars, the official of the Authority said. The steps, he added, had been taken to avoid any untoward incident.

It has been observed that stall-holders were in a habit of selling their commodities after dusk under lantern light, providing an open field to the terrorists to meet their nefarious designs. Now, the Authority would not allow business in weekly bazaars after dusk, the official said.

He said licences of those stall-holders, who do not observe these timings, would be cancelled. The Authority has also appealed to the people not to visit these bazaars after Maghrib prayers.