An illegal fruit and vegetable market at Khanna Pull has turned into a safe haven for criminals and murderers.
The market had been established alongside the expressway, which could become a security risk in the near future. Alleged murderers were seen sitting there in the guise of owners of hand driven carts. These alleged murderers had killed at least 3 people so far, including a lawyer and his brother.
Movement of VIP and VVIP traffic had usually been witnessed on this road, and the obliviousness of police and administration towards the murders in the market could lead to terror acts on the expressway. It is worth mentioning here that Former Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Chief Mian Nawaz Sharif were also attacked at a short distance from this market.
Intensified encroachments in the market had resulted in severe traffic jams on the main road, and people could not even breathe at the closing hours of offices as vehicular traffic increased in the locality.
Citizens complained that the criminals had been let loose in this market because they extorted money from stall holders and hand pushed carts owners and gave a major chunk of this extorted money to the police and the Capital Development Authority (CDA).
The social and religious circles and civil society members demanded from the authorities concerned to immediately remove the market from the area.
I am a regular visitor to this market and it is located on a road where VVIP movement is very often and government should regulate this market by setting up procedures like in Itwar Bazar. As far murderers are concerned, the area starting from Soan till Airport is full of irregular slums and plenty of crminal elements including undocumented Afghans have been arrested from here. So what about reming all the slums? This place is best for quality fruits and vegetables at a reasonable price in Islamabad and Rawalpindi do not deprive thousands from this source. As far firing on Nawaz Sharif is concerned we all know it was carried out by a land mafia and notorious killer family with political background and they also lived near Karal Chowk, they will have no effect if you remove this market.
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