Key Takeaways
- Municipal authorities sealed Akhbar Market in Aabpara over disputed dues of Rs. 10 million.
- The closure affected supplies to residents, government offices, and embassies in Islamabad.
- The All Pakistan Akhbar Farosh Federation disputed the demand, alleging unrelated charges.
Municipal authorities in Islamabad have sealed Akhbar Market in Aabpara, disrupting newspaper deliveries across the city. The closure, carried out by the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad’s Directorate of Municipal Administration (DMA), was prompted by disputed dues of approximately Rs. 10 million.
The action has had a significant impact, affecting not only residents but also the Prime Minister’s Office, the President’s Office, and various embassies. The All Pakistan Akhbar Farosh Federation, which manages the market, has disputed the demand, stating that it had cleared the market’s rent. Federation Secretary General Tikka Khan and other representatives met with Chief Commissioner and CDA Chairman Sohail Ashraf, seeking his intervention to unseal the market.
A DMA official defended the closure, stating that the market had outstanding charges and that the matter was being examined. The federation, however, maintains that the claimed dues relate to an adjacent vacant plot that had never been allotted or leased to them. The federation has stated that newspaper supplies will remain suspended until the market is unsealed.
Separately, the DMA also closed the G-6 and H-9 weekly bazaars on Friday due to fire safety concerns. Vendors in the H-9 bazaar, which has experienced repeated fires, including a major blaze in June that began in Block C, have installed functional safety equipment and requested inspections. Officials stated that safety requirements would not be relaxed and that both markets would reopen only after CDA’s emergency services verified fire prevention arrangements and issued clearance.
The closure of the Akhbar Market has caused inconvenience to vendors and shoppers, who have expressed their dissatisfaction. Vendors in the H-9 bazaar have maintained that they have installed functional safety equipment and requested inspections. Officials stated that safety requirements would not be relaxed and that both markets would reopen only after CDA’s emergency services verified fire prevention arrangements and issued clearance.
