RAWALPINDI: The district administration declared Saturday as a public holiday in Rawalpindi in view of the US-Iran dialogue in Islamabad.
Earlier, the administration observed April 9 and 10 as public holidays and on Friday it extended it for another day.
Deputy Commissioner Dr Hassan Waqar Cheema told Dawn that the government had decided to declare public holiday in the district in relation to the security arrangements for the delegates in Islamabad. He said all emergency departments and institutions will remain operational. Hospitals and other services will also remain operational.
Meanwhile, the district administration asked traders to close all bazaars and commercial outlets and petrol filing stations in some selected area like Murree Road, Airport Road and Peshawar Road to close their outlets on Friday and Saturday. Due to the security measures, the movement of residents will also be restricted to their localities.
“The petrol filling stations on Murree Road, Airport Road and Peshawar Road have been closed as all commercial outlets expect hospitals and chemists while routine services of fuel continued in other parts of the garrison city,” said Nouman Ali Butt, Vice President All Pakistan Petrol Pump Owners Association, while talking to Dawn.
IGP, CPO monitoring security clamp from command and control room established in Police Lines Headquarters
Rawalpindi Traders Association President Sharjeel Mir told Dawn that the administration and police on Friday morning conveyed the government orders to them to close shops in bazaars till Saturday. “There are chances the bazaars and markets will also remain closed,” he added.
A Regional Transport Authority official said bus terminals on Peshawar Road had been closed for two days — Friday and Saturday — while in other areas like Soan and Pirwadhai, the general bus stands were partially closed.
On the other hand, the residents around Murree Road and Peshawar Road asked the administration to allow tandoors, milk shops and grocery shops to open.
Mohammad Kareem, a resident of Westridge bazaar, said that all shops were closed and even tandoors not allowed to open. He said that there was shortage of milk and food items in the area.
Saleem Pervaiz, Chairman Rawalpindi Karyana Association, said that all food shops around Murree Road, Peshawar Road and main grain market in Raja Bazaar had been closed for three days.
Security clamp
The Inspector General of Police Punjab and the City Police Officer Rawalpindi have been monitoring the security clamp put in place in Rawalpindi from the command and control room established in the Police Lines Headquarters to ensure the foolproof security during the movement of foreign delegations for the US-Iran peace talks in Islamabad.
In line with the directives of IGP Rao Abdul Kareem, the district police have started implementing security measures, including closing markets and shops in New Town, Naseerabad and other parts of the city.
A report submitted by New Town police stated that all public transport had been suspended and petrol pumps closed.
However, overall traffic flow on other roads was open and normal. No road blocked was reported, while freight containers were placed on the roadsides as they were not causing any blockage.
A similar report by Naseerabad police suggested that all shops, hotels, bus terminals at main Peshawar Road, both sides, had been closed.
However, all emergency dealing departments and institutions shall remain operational on Saturday and Sunday.
The security level has placed on “high alert” in the entire city.
CPO Rawalpindi Syed Khalid Hamdani and other authorities are supervising the security measures.
More than 5,000 officers and personnel of Rawalpindi police are performing security duties.
A high-level meeting was chaired by the CPO at the Police Lines Headquarters to review the security plan.
Police said that the city entrance and exit routes, important highways, markets, shops and hotels had been closed for security reasons. Strict security deployment and strict surveillance are underway at all places.
Search, sweep, combing and intelligence-based operations have been intensified throughout the city. Strict surveillance and checking of suspects is underway. Security has been further tightened around sensitive installations, important government and private places and residences.
Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2026
