KOHAT, Oct 2: Restrictions imposed on movement of civilians to use roads passing through the city’s cantonment have been creating problems for residents here.

Talking to this correspondent, several residents of the city and cantonment suggested that keeping in view problems of civilians the sensitive offices should be shifted outside the city.

Established before creation of the country, the cantonment now occupies a central place in Kohat and is surrounded by new residential colonies. A large number of people visit the markets and bakeries located in cantonment, which also has a big wedding hall and restaurant, both for civilians and government servants.

The only golf ground of the city, which had been converted into a fitness club, was earlier open to civilians who used it for jogging and as a playground. Though a new golf ground has been established outside the city for army officers, many see the closure of old one for general public as unjustified.

The residents complained that they could not use any facility in the cantonment as they would have to go through strict security checks every time they entered the area.

A traffic police inspector, Ibrahim, recalled that some years ago the MP checkpost near Rakhi Ground was shifted to CMH Square so that passenger vehicles could use the route to KDA town and back to Chakarkot. That eased the traffic load on the main artery from Hangu Chowk to Shah Faisal Gate. However, the same MP gate had been dragged back towards Hangu Chowk.

People of KDA Town have demanded that the MP gate near old Peshawar road should be kept open round the clock because it was the shortest route connecting the town with the city. The gate is presently closed at 10pm for civilians, which has been causing problems for people taking patients to KDA hospital and CMH in emergency during night.

17 ARRESTED: Kohat police arrested 17 proclaimed offenders during raids in different parts of the district on Tuesday.

Police said that they had arrested 17 criminals during operations in jurisdictions of Jarma, Jungle Khel, Bilitang, City and Saddar police stations.

They said that a man identified as Shehryar, resident of Ghulam Banda, was arrested in the limits of Riaz Shaheed police station with Rs10,000 fake currency notes and five pistols.

In another case, criminals escaped after learning about police raid, but left behind 34 kg hashish, three kilogrammes of opium and five pistols.