LAHORE, Nov 13: Despite the transformation of the normally tranquil DHA Block-X into a virtual riot zone following the house arrest of Benazir Bhutto late on Monday night, it was business as usual for most of the city.

Shops, schools, colleges, banks and restaurants operated as normal throughout the day in Defence and the city as a whole.

The cordon formed around the block did, however, create localised disruption for residents in the adjoining areas, who were subjected to interrogation and searches of their vehicles before being allowed to proceed.

Sadaf, a business development manager, told Dawn: “I was on my way from Block-A to pick up my grandmother, and they’ve literally blocked off every single road. They won’t let anyone in or out. We were stuck there for at least half an hour because every road we went to, we were told to go from the other way.”

“I think it’s really pathetic and a waste of security. Benazir should be free to go back today,” she continued, adding that the operation was creating a “massive disruption”.

It wasn’t just residents who were in a bad mood, however. Police guarding the house of PPP Senator Latif Khosa told Dawn they had been on duty for three nights straight, were sleep deprived, and didn’t have enough to eat. They said they had to leave their posts and fetch biscuits from local markets. Staying awake proved too great a task for some police who were seen dozing off while on duty on Tuesday afternoon.