Snooker clubs in Lahore, Punjab are being forced by police to shut down by 9pm on a daily basis. The police believe this may help control the robberies in the city, as they have been rapidly increasing. The Snooker Clubs Association announced the curfew this past Thursday.

MB Ghauri is the Snooker Clubs Association General Secretary and recently spoke to the Daily Times. Ghauri told the times that officials visited the clubs and informed the owners of the curfew. Club owners were told by the police officials that they were ordered by senior officials to enforce the curfew. Ghauri also stated that when club owners asked for proof that senior officials were enforcing the curfew, the police could not produce any physical evidence.

Ghauri then went on to say that the police officials think the snooker clubs are hiding places for the robbers. Police also believe that the owners of the snooker clubs are providing assistance to the robbers because several frequent customers are also criminals. Ghauri accused the police of not being able to stop the crime in the city so they have now resorted to harming local businesses.

Many owners have stated that the main part of their business happens at night time. Placing a curfew will only hurt their business. The superintendent of police stated that the police have standard operating procedures that they must abide by and during the holy month of Ramazan, the police hold the snooker clubs to a 9pm curfew for the sanctity of Ramazan. This occurs once a year.

Chundhry Shafiq Gujjar, the Senior Superintendent of Police has stated that he did not order anyone to force the snooker club owners to shut down by 9pm. The only order he sent out was for the police to keep a good check for criminals at the clubs.

It seems as though the police force or someone in high ranking has issued an order that was not sent out by the top of the police force.


- 2008-09-15