Rawalpindi Cricket Disruption Hits Trade, Courts
The Rawalpindi cricket disruption has brought court work and trade on Double Road to a standstill, with hearings in 7,500 cases delayed in three days and hundreds of shops forced shut.
Cricket matches at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium have virtually paralysed the system of producing suspects from Adiala Jail before the city’s courts, The Express Tribune reported on Thursday. Police guards who escort prisoners to court have been posted at the stadium, and prison vans have been assigned to stadium security. As a result, the production of suspects before courts has stopped altogether.
Rawalpindi cricket disruption hits 50 courts
Hearings in criminal cases before 50 courts across Rawalpindi district have been delayed. In the past three days alone, hearings in 7,500 cases could not take place in the district courts.
The guards who normally transport suspects from Adiala Jail to court have been deployed at the cricket stadium. Police prisoner vans have also been assigned to stadium security, so the process of producing suspects before courts has been completely suspended.
Trade on Double Road at a standstill
Businesses in the Food Market and shops on both sides of Double Road have suffered heavy losses. Private offices and shops along the road are largely closed, bringing business at hundreds of outlets to a standstill.
Food stalls and restaurants in the Food Market have closed, with daily losses reported in millions of rupees. Shops and markets along the entire stretch of Double Road have been sealed or forced to remain closed.
The Metro Bus station on Double Road has closed completely, and nearby petrol pumps have been sealed. Daily traffic on the road has been severely disrupted, and commuters face long detours to reach Saddar and Islamabad.
Students, women and other passengers who want to board the Metro Bus for Saddar and Islamabad must now walk two furlongs to the Faizabad station.
Allama Iqbal Park, the city’s largest recreational facility, has also been sealed, ending morning walks and jogging for elderly people and women. Access to the main church on Double Road has also become difficult.
Disruption set to run for 10 more days
With the second Test also moved to Rawalpindi, the same conditions are expected to continue for the next 10 days. The Pakistan Cricket Board shifted the second Test against Sri Lanka from Lahore to Rawalpindi after smog worsened in the Punjab capital.
The match will now be played at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from November 17 to 21, the same dates fixed earlier. PCB spokesperson Amir Mir said the move was made due to prevailing weather conditions. Dawn reported that Lahore has been grappling with severe smog for the past 10 days, and the city’s air quality index had reportedly touched 600, placing it among the most polluted cities in the world.
The first Test is already under way at the same ground. Pakistan declared their first innings at 434 for nine, with Saud Shakeel top-scoring with 93. Sri Lanka reached 404 for four at stumps on the third day, trailing by 30 runs, with Dhananjaya de Silva on 167 not out and Kusal Mendis on 117 not out.
Same problem surfaced in October
This is not the first time cricket security has halted court work in Rawalpindi. Feature Pakistan reported in October that cricket security had halted court hearings during an earlier series, when the same system of producing prisoners from Adiala Jail broke down.
The fresh figures show the problem has returned at a larger scale, with 7,500 hearings lost in three days this time. The second Test was shifted to Rawalpindi because of smog in Lahore, which means both matches of the series will now be played at the same ground. Rain has already threatened play in the first Test, in which Sri Lanka’s Dhananjaya de Silva and Kusal Mendis scored centuries. The board has also fixed ticket prices for the second Test in Rawalpindi.
Traders demand the stadium move
Traders, shopkeepers and residents of Double Road and Shamsabad have appealed to the administration to address their problems. Some have demanded that Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium be shifted to Islamabad.
Among those who appealed were Faisal Nadeem, Shaukat Ali, Faizan Shah and Qaiser Khan. They asked the administration, with folded hands, to end the hardship faced by traders, students, patients and daily commuters.
What happens next
The first Test continues at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, and the second Test will follow from November 17 to 21. Traders and residents want the administration to spell out how it will keep courts, shops and public transport running while the matches go on.
Until the security plan changes, the courts will keep losing hearing days, and Double Road will stay closed to the trade that depends on it.
Frequently asked questions
How many court hearings have been delayed in Rawalpindi?
Hearings in 7,500 cases could not take place in the past three days. Hearings in criminal cases before 50 courts across Rawalpindi district have been delayed.
Why are prisoners not being produced in court?
Police guards who transport suspects from Adiala Jail have been deployed at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, and police prisoner vans have also been assigned to stadium security. The production of suspects before courts has therefore been suspended.
Which areas of Rawalpindi are affected?
Double Road, the Food Market, Shamsabad and nearby areas are affected. The Metro Bus station on Double Road has closed, petrol pumps have been sealed, and Allama Iqbal Park has been closed to the public.
How long will the disruption last?
The disruption is expected to continue for the next 10 days. The second Test against Sri Lanka will be played in Rawalpindi from November 17 to 21, after being moved from Lahore.
Why was the second Test moved to Rawalpindi?
The Pakistan Cricket Board moved the match because of worsening smog in Lahore. The city’s air quality index had reportedly touched 600, placing it among the most polluted cities in the world.
