Two persons died after drinking poisonous liquor while dozens of bike riders sustained minor injuries while showing stunts on different roads of the provincial capital while celebrating New Year Night. On other hand Lahore Police on Sunday registered 332 cases and arrested 537 persons for firing shots in the air, for showing stunts on city roads and for drinking liquor. According to Lahore Police spokesperson Nayyab Haider, Lahore Police on Sunday registered 184 cases against different youngsters for performing wheelies and showing stunts on city roads on New Year Night. He said Lahore Police arrested 375 youngster and bike riders for performing stunts and for making rumpus in different areas of the city. He said Lahore police had also arrested 49 persons for carrying out aerial firing in different areas of the city while celebrating New Year night after registering 35 cases against them in different police station of the city. Similarly Lahore Police arrested 141 persons for making rumpus after drinking liquor on different roads after registering 113 cases against them in different police stations of the city.
On other hand despite heavy deployment of policemen on all major roads and markets, provincial metropolis witnessed messy situations on eve of New Year Night. Indiscriminate firing was carried out in different parts of the city despite all warnings of police while fun-making youth gathered at The Mall, Gulberg, Canal Road, Ferozpur Road and Main Boulevard Gulberg and Allama Iqbal Town. Traffic disorder was witnessed as boys were seen dancing on the roads, blocking them. A large number of young boys also blocked the Mall Road near Regal Chowk and Main Boulevard Gulberg. Activists of Shabab-e-Milli, youth wing of Jamat-e-Islami, also blocked M M Alam road and thrashed the cars in parking of different restaurants in order to stop people from celebrating the New Year Night.
Some of the bikers played stunts on their bikes while many drunk drivers also came on roads with their vehicles violating the laws. Trouble-makers at Regal Chowk were also baton-charged by the police to disperse them and to maintain smooth flow of traffic. However, no cases were registered in any police station against violators of the law last night.
According to Lahore Police sources, 7000 policemen performed security duties on eve of New Year Night. Security was seen beefed up at main road such as Gulberg Main Boulevard, Jail Road, Mall road, Main Boulevard Defense all had security. Barricades were installed on all major roads.
Two men including Qaiser Maseeh and Joseph died after drinking poisonous liquor in Imamia Colony on New Year Night. People belonging to all walks of life especially youngsters had taken to streets late on Saturday to welcome the New Year with all the happiness and enthusiasm. All main roads were seen flooded with people on vehicles, motorbikes and bicycles. At many religious places including Data Darbar Mosque, special prayers were also offered for peace and prosperity of the country and people in coming year. All main arteries and shopping places of city including Mall Road, Liberty, DHA Y-Block and Canal Road witness gridlock situations. As the clock signalled 12, locals had already invaded main streets of the metropolis of Punjab. The public were seen celebrating the arrival of the New Year in various ways. Some had family reunions, some headed towards hotels, and some stayed home and enjoyed watching TV, while others attended parties with friends. Other raided the streets with friend, eating, hooting and dancing. Families turned to the restaurants in order to enjoy the weather with New Year arrival whereas other preferred to arrange indoor activities. Families also arranged get-togethers at homes due to intense cold wave engulfing the city. Dinners and movie showing functions were also arranged in the houses in order to welcome the New Year. “I enjoyed sitting at home and giving time to my family, I think New Year is totally a family event and should be celebrated with the one’s who are the closest to you”, said Murtaza Quriashi, a businessman. On the other hand people like Nadia Zafar spent time alone. She said for her the New Year eve was all about planning and decision making. “I make a resolution every year, though its quite rare that one follows the resolution but I think the time taken out to make it creates a great different itself”, she said. Party-goers did not pay any heed to the fog and cold winter and partied as expected. Many roof tops of buildings present on Mall Road were booked for party purposes keeping in mind the fog situation. “We don’t want our guests to find any sort of trouble while finding this spot, so we had shifted the party place from Baidian to the rooftop of a bank opposite Gymkhana,” said a spokesperson of an event management company. He said liquor had run short in the city. “I guess everyone is planning to have a good time this New Year’s eve” he said.
