ISLAMABAD: Residents of Islamabad were unable to get newspapers on Friday due to the sealing of the newspaper supply market (Akhbar Market in Aabpara) by the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI).

Meanwhile, the city’s two main weekly bazaars – G-6 and H-9 – were also closed by the MCI on fire safety grounds, causing inconvenience to the public.

Both the actions were taken by MCI’s Directorate of Municipal Authority (DMA).

Residents started the day waiting for newspapers and later found the weekly bazaars also closed.

Newspaper market defaults on rent payment; G-6, H-9 bazaars to reopen after foolproof fire safety measures ensured, says DMA official

A few days ago, the DMA sealed Akhbar Market on the ground of pending charges, which were being contested by All Pakistan Akhbar Farosh Federation.

In response to the sealing, no newspaper was supplied anywhere, including Prime Minister Office, President Office and embassies.

“This is a sad day in country’s history. Without any solid reasons, our market was sealed by DMA in the name of pending charges of the plot,” said Tikka Khan, Secretary General of All Pakistan Akhbar Farosh Federation. Mr Khan along with other members of the federation met Chief Commissioner and Chairman Capital Development Authority (CDA) Sohail Ashraf and stated that without any solid legal ground, the market had been sealed by DMA.

During the meeting, the delegation requested the chief commissioner to intervene into the issue, stating that sealing the market was an injustice with people associated with the newspaper industry, including hawkers, and residents of Islamabad.

President of Punjab chapter of the federation Aqeel Abbasi told Dawn that nothing was pending against the Akhbar Market rather there is a vacant plot adjacent to the market and on the basis of that plot DMA calculated its charges. This plot was never allotted and leased to the federation.

He said the DMA made accumulated charges of around Rs10 million as pending amount for that vacant plot.

Meanwhile, sources said that the market was leased out to the federation against Rs1000 per month and the federation had been claiming that nothing was pending against rent of the market. The federation said newspaper supply will remain suspended till the de-sealing of the market.

Meanwhile, both the weekly bazaar at H-9 and G-6 remained closed, causing hardship for residents and vendors.

The vendors demanded the DMA open both bazaars, stating that they had already installed fire and safety equipment.

DMA on Thursday ordered keeping the weekly bazaars closed on Friday till “100pc foolproof measures are taken there and fire prevention clearance is granted by the Capital Emergency Services, CDA.”

A notification issued by Director DMA Mohammad Tariq Latif stated: “In view of the foregoing, Director General (Emergency Services) CDA is requested to kindly exhort his subordinate staff to make sure if appropriate prevention measures at both above sites (bazaars) have been arranged or otherwise. DMA, MCI is optimistic for early response in the matter.”

Fires at the H-9 Weekly Bazaar, popularly known as the Sunday Bazaar or Itwar Bazaar, have occurred with alarming frequency over the years, raising concerns over safety standards, electrical wiring and firefighting preparedness.

The last such incident was reported in June when a massive fire erupted in Block C of the bazaar, which mostly houses shoe stalls, and spread rapidly, prompting a large-scale emergency response. This was the fifth incident of fire at the weekly bazaar since 2017.

When contacted, an officer of DMA defended both the action, stating that the issue of Akhbar Market was being checked.

“We sealed the market for around 10 million pending charges,” he said. Asked if Rs1000 per month rent was fixed for Akhbar Market, then the total pending rent could be around Rs500,000, and how the DMA was asking for Rs10 million, the officer said, defending the action of sealing and stated the market was defaulting.

About the weekly bazaars, the officer said as soon as the Emergency Service of the CDA cleared the bazaars “we will immediately issue orders for its opening.” He said there was no compromise on safety measures as recent fire incidents at Pims and frequent fires at H-9 bazaars were alarming. “We can’t compromise on fire safety measures,” he said.

On the other hand, vendors claimed that they had functional fire safety systems, which should be checked.

Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2026