TAXILA: Residents of Burhan and adjacent areas on Wednesday blocked G.T. Road in protest against robberies and snatching in their areas, leaving Rawalpindi-Peshawar traffic stranded on the road near Burhan bridge for hours in this hot and humid weather.

The protesters also chanted slogans against the police ‘apathy’ and demanded immediate resolution of their grievances.

Irfan Ali, a latest robbery victim, told newsmen that he was on his way home after work when two persons came on a motorcycle and intercepted him and snatched cash at gunpoint. The incident occurred just two yards away from the police post where two policemen were standing with their motorcycle.

He said that when he voiced alarm, the policemen fired in the air instead of following the fleeing robbers.

He said that robberies in the presence of policemen are proof of the fact that the robbers had the support of the policemen.

Taj Muzaffar, another protester, informed the mediamen that robbers had literally made the residents of the area hostage.

“We are fed up with robberies particularly when there has been no action from the police. In the past month, incidents of snatching and robberies have increased manifold,” Saqib Muneer, another protester, said, adding that it appears that the police back criminals.

The protesters lamented that armed robbers even looted women and deprived people of chash, mobile valuables even during daytime just a few yards away from Burhan police post.

“There is hardly any response when the incident is reported to the police. Cars and motorcyclists are mugged irrespective of the time, be it morning or night,” another protester Kamran Rafeeq said, adding that the police has not deployed any force despite being aware of the prevalent crime rate in the area. Khan Afsar, another protester demanded arrest of robbers without further delay and deployment of experienced and honest police personnel in the area.

The police assured the demonstrators that they would look into their demands. The protesters soon dispersed on their own, warning that they will return to the G.T. Road if action against the culprits was not taken within three days.

An hour-long blockage inconvenienced commuters.

Instead of providing relief to the residents of the area from rising incidents of robberies, the Burhan police registered a case against the protesters by imposing six different sections. Those who went to police post to lodge complaint against robberies were also booked by police.-

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2023