‘Royal protectors’ of Shadman: Police enjoy food at shopkeepers’ expense

[LRE]

‘Royal protectors’ of Shadman: Police enjoy food at shopkeepers’ expense

* Shadman DSP says he will order police to stop getting free food from shopkeepers

By Abdul Manan

LAHORE: Shopkeepers at Shadman Market are allegedly suffering at the hands of the area police, as the policemen eat and drink from these shops daily without paying for the food.

Four out of six milk shops and several burger stalls have closed in recent months because the owners could not afford to serve the policemen every day, shopkeepers told Daily Times on Friday.

Shopkeepers at the Shadman Market said that they had been catering to dozens of medical students of Services Hospital and countless patients of Fatima Memorial Hospital at night.

“A police mobile of Shadman Police Station comes to the market daily after midnight and the policemen demand juices and burgers from the owners,” said a shopkeeper. He said that the policemen eat and drink to their fill and leave without paying the bill.

Another shopkeeper said that the market had six milk shops a few months ago, but now only Lasani and Haleema milk shops were left due to extra expense involved in feeding the police.

Touqeer, the owner of a juice shop, told Daily Times that two shops alone were not enough to fulfil the needs of patients, medical students and residents of nearby localities. He said that he was paying Rs 40,000 a month as rent for a portion of the shop where he was doing business.

He said that most shopkeepers had left their businesses because the policemen visiting the shops never paid for the juices or food, adding that the owners were facing a loss due to inflation.

Talking to Daily Times, the owner of a burger stall said that he was bound to give 15 free burgers to the policemen everyday. “If someone refuses to serve them, the policemen ‘take action’ against them and compel them to close their shops early,” he said.

He said that their businesses would be ruined if they were not allowed to work until late into the night, adding that patients and their attendants would also suffer due to this act.

The shopkeepers said that they could not complain about the activity because they wanted to run their businesses. “Whenever we have complained about it, our shops have been closed for months at a time,” said a shopkeeper.

The Shadman station house officer (SHO) was not available for comments. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Sheikh Muhammad Zubair told Daily Times that he would order the junior policemen to stop bothering shopkeepers for free meals.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...008_pg7_41