Security arrangements for the Pakistan-West Indies cricket matches at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium have brought life to a standstill in the surrounding areas, with road closures, restrictions on pedestrian movement, and the complete shutdown of markets, offices, a church and commercial centres. Residents and traders say the matches have become a source of hardship rather than entertainment.
Park and Food Street Closed
Authorities have sealed the city’s largest recreational facility, Allama Iqbal Park, for five days. The adjoining food street has been closed, while barbed wire, containers and barricades have been placed around the park, blocking all entry points. Families have been prevented from visiting the park, while residents have also been unable to use it for morning walks and jogging. The nearby Metro Bus station has also been closed, prompting protests by traders, the food market union, the Christian community and local residents, who have demanded that the cricket stadium be relocated.
Business Losses Mount
Food market traders Asghar Mahmood and Raja Niaz Abbasi said the market had remained closed for three days, causing severe business losses. They said shop rents range from Rs0.1 million to Rs0.15 million per month and a week-long closure of hotels and the food street leaves them without income. They suggested that if the stadium could not be relocated, the food street should be shifted elsewhere.
