Barricades outside Bilawal House removed after five years

Islamabad, April 1: Barriers and barricades placed outside the Bilawal House in Karachi were on Wednesday removed after five years following the orders of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari.

The road outside Bilawal House was barricaded and blockaded for public use after it was accorded the status of former president Asif Zardari's camp office from 2008 to 2013, Dawn online reported.

The road outside Bilawal House, leading from Bilawal Chowrangi towards Sea View, is now open for traffic.

Earlier, PPP vice-chairman Sherry Rehman said: "Necessary directives have been issued to Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah in this regard."

"Despite security threats, we are removing the barriers in front of Bilawal House on the directives of Asif Ali Zardari," she added.

Zardari's statement follows an operation launched by Pakistan Rangers, which is backed by police and Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, to remove security barriers and barricades mainly in Karachi's central district.

Rangers had "appealed" to Karachi citizens last week to remove barriers from their neighbourhoods within three days, as they were hampering movement and mobility of law enforcement agencies.

IANS