Forcible acquisition of vehicles mauls Shandur festival spirit
Chitral -- Every year, four to five days before the Shandur
Festival, the local police impounds transport and goods vehicles from the
roads of Chitral and forcibly sends them to Shandur carrying
official supplies and personnel.
The
transporters who are allowed free hand by the administration and
police year round to fleece the commuters, meet their dread at the
Shandur festival time when they are forced to carry out 'official'
duties nice and proper.
Many
transporters lock their vehicles in their garages during these days,
creating problems for the commuters. Either way, when the
buffaloes play games, the grass beneath suffers.
Using force to
impound vehicles, blocking roads in the name of protocol and the
local police displaying frenzy and desperation because some VIPs are
expected to visit, are all against the norms of a civilised society
and more particularly against the spirit of any festival. Here in
Chitral, at the time of Shandur festival such unhealthy
behaviour can be seen at its peak every year.
--
CN report, 05 July 2012.
Comment 1
For Imposters
and drug pushers there is VIP treatment from the police as can be
seen in the recent news items to the effect. For law abiding
citizens there is nuisance and inconvenience in the name of protocol
to VIPs masked with 'security measures' - God save this country
--Arshad Ali Chitral, 06 July 2012
Comment
2
Shameful scenes
can be observed these days in Chitral in the name of security.
Yesterday (means 4 days before the Climax of Shandur) I parked my
vehicle in proper parking space in the Bazar to do some very
important task when a police man came to me and ordered to remove my
vehicle immediately even from the parking area. When I asked what’s
the matter the policeman told me that the honorable Corps Commander
is coming down from the officer mess. When I insisted what if I
don’t remove my car the police man said I will lose my job. I cannot
swallow this nonsense if my car is parked in proper parking area and
doesn’t create any hurdle to the passing by traffic then why should
I remove it?
This is a colonial attitude which we could not give up despite 65
years of independence. Thanks! --
Muhammad Abeer Khan, Chitral Town, 07 July 2012.
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