ISLAMABAD, Jan 13: City's main roads and streets were giving deserted looks soon after the sunset owing to either malfunctioning of streetlights or city managers' power saving drive.

Whatever the reason may be, the non-functioning of streetlights gives free hand to anti-social elements to attack pedestrians.

With Islamabad being open to traffic round the clock, darkness embraces people coming through various roads to the city at night.

It's a nightmare for the people doing night duties at different offices to reach homes safely.

Many security-related incidents have been reported with people complaining about being robbed by unidentified persons, especially at nights.

The situation further worsens when thick fog envelopes the city as the dusk sets in, causing motorists to slow down in an apparently wilderness created by lack of proper lights on road.

When contacted, a Capital Development Authority (CDA) official said, the issue was already in notice of the authority, which intends to rectify the street lighting system once it is done with the roads' expansion project. If done, it would be a big sigh of relief to those who uses the Capital's roads at night.

Besides, the residents in different areas also voice serious concerns over the non-functioning of the street lights.

“First we thought that these lights are shut down due to power shortage, but they are permanently turned off since long,” said a resident of Sector I-10.

“We used to go out for a light walk along with kids after dinner, but now a days we stay home as there is dark in the street, which is not safe,” said another resident of Sector G-10.

The residents have called for serious consideration to this pressing issue. — APP