Provincial capital Lahore and other big cities of Punjab are giving a relaxed look as a big chunk of their population with rural background has left for their ancestral villages/towns to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr and enjoy five long holidays. Calm prevailed in the markets and traffic has also eased on city roads.
According to official announcement, except for essential services, all federal and provincial government offices, autonomous bodies, banks, schools, colleges, and universities will remain closed till Thursday. The big exodus from the cities began early this week as 14th August was also a public holiday giving enough incentive to the 'undisciplined' government employees to slip from their duties or take three-day leave before Eid holidays.
It may be added that Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Azha are the two religious festivals every year when a large number of people leave cities to celebrate the Eids with their loved ones living in rural areas releasing pressure on the cities 'infrastructure and amenities.
Majority of people who left Lahore included government and autonomous bodies employees, daily wagers, vendors on streets and roads, labourers, university students, beggars, artisans, workers in restaurants, hotels, fruits, vegetables and other markets. Pakistan Railways is running three special trains, two for Karachi to Lahore and Rawalpindi and one from Karachi to Peshawar. Private transporters are working overtime in view of rush at public bus and wagon stands.
Security arrangements at railway stations and in trains have been intensified ahead of Eid. All entry and exit points to the PR installations are being manned and passengers and their luggage are frisked and examined with metal detectors. Railways police officials said the number of plainclothes men in moving trains had been enhanced from six to 10 in addition to five-man team in uniform.
At least two commandoes each had been deputed in the Business Express and Shalimar Express, being operated under the public-private partnership. Pilot engines are being run ahead of main passenger trains, especially in interior Sindh and Balochistan, to avert any untoward incidence. The Punjab government has also made special security arrangements and deployed personnel at mosques, Eidgahs and Eid congregations at open places and Imambargahs besides central shopping centres, markets, bazaars, parks, recreation places and at beaches.