LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Friday directed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the Lahore police and the chief traffic controller that roads should not be blocked during the matches at Gaddafi Stadium.

Justice Shahid Karim observed that people’s fundamental right of free movement could not be infringed. The judge was hearing a petition against the blockade of the roads due to the ongoing cricket matches of national T20 tournament in the stadium.

Earlier, a PCB official told the court that it was the duty of the board to ensure security for the players. The police officials also appeared in person and gave an undertaking that direction of the court would be complied with and traffic flow would not be hampered in the city.

Justice Karim observed that the rights of the people were superior in nature and could not be sacrificed at the cost of domestic cricket tournaments or any other recreational activity.

The petitioner’s counsel, Sheraz Zaka, had argued that the traffic blockade also resulted in an increase in smog in the city. He said the traffic blockade due to the matches also curtailed the right of movement of the citizens.

The Environment Protection Agency’s legal officer also submitted a report on vehicle emission caused due to road blockades. The report says around 1.5 million vehicles plying roads get stuck owing to which these vehicles in Lahore cause waste of 1.125 million litres of fuel per hour and cause six million pound of CO2 emissions besides other pollutants.

Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2021