Karachi
Karachiites faced difficulties on Friday due to the closure of roads around the National Stadium as part of security arrangements for a training session of the Pakistan cricket team ahead of the South Africa series.
According to details, routes from Dalmia, New Town, Karsaz Road and Hasan Square will remain closed for the duration of the team’s presence at the stadium.
A massive traffic jam had seized different parts of the city on Thursday as well due to the JUI-F’s million march and the Pakistani team’s practice session.
Severe snarl-ups were observed in Saddar and adjoining areas and near the stadium, due to which commuters making their way back to home after work remained stuck for hours.
The residents around the National Stadium are awaiting a huge curfew-like situation from January 25 until the end of the first Test between Pakistan and South Africa, which will begin here from January 26.
A senior police official told The News that from 8am on January 25, the areas around the venue will be completely sealed. If the Test goes on for a full five days, the area residents will face major issues in their movement.
On Wednesday, a glimpse of that was seen when a security rehearsal took place around 3pm. Areas around the venue, a few kilometres on each side, were completely sealed. Commuters, mostly women, were seen walking off the red zone. Even patients coming out of the two major hospitals in the area faced huge troubles.
The security arrangements made for the South African team are those that are made for heads of states.
“It’s a huge issue,” a resident of KDA scheme 1, which suffers the most during such matches, told the publication. “As now foreign teams have started coming to Pakistan the authorities should try to plan in a manner that life of people should not be disturbed,” he said.
Another resident of the area said that the South Africa series is not the only issue. “We are bracing up for PSL-6 as Karachi will host many matches of the league. Where should we go?” he said.
During PSL-6, residents will have to bear traffic and movement issues for around 20 days.
“It’s a huge problem. When I was coming into the stadium a person shouted to me why the media is silent over such issues which have made the life of people miserable,” a reporter of a private television channel told this correspondent.—Agencies
