Like other parts of the country, Peshawar, too, was in the grip of looters and criminals as violence and protests rocked the city during the three days of mourning after the assassination of PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto. The angry PPP workers took to the streets to register their protest, whereas the criminals enjoyed a welcome field day by ransacking the banks, shops and fuel stations.

Many shops were looted with buildings and vehicles burnt, government installations damaged and people forced to stay in their homes. Police, on the other hand, kept away from the protesters and advised the trader unions to observe shutter down as it was out of their power to control the situation.

There is no doubt that every person, irrespective of their political affiliation, took the sad news of Benazir’s assassination with great pain and sorrow. Some blamed the government, while others held Al-Qaeda and Pakistani Taliban responsible.  PPP workers took to the streets soon after and staged protests. The genuine protestors were outnumbered by the looters and criminals. In fact during the last few years, a psyche has developed in our country that whenever there is a protest, there will be looting of the shops and banks, burning vehicles and damaging government installation. Such subversive activities are encouraged by the irresponsible attitude of the district administration as they always keep away from the protesters and advise the people to save their property on their own. “They do not take responsibility to stop the protesters or looters,” said Sheikh Mohammad Jan, a trader in the cantonment area.

The motorists prove to be easy pickings for the mobsters. According to eyewitnesses, many cars collided as the motorists tried to speed away from the mayhem. Sheikh Jan said as soon as the news of assassination reached their market, the customers started running towards their vehicles which created panic. Everyone was trying to reach some safer place. The reason behind the panic was the fear that criminals would soon join the protestors and start looting the shops.
 
The shopkeepers also pulled down their shutters for safety. According to Haji Arshad in Saddar bazaar, Peshawar, he had been witnessing the looting phenomenon for years. “Whenever there is some mishap, the criminal minded people join the protestors to get an opportunity of lootings shops and banks.”

The genuine protestors, who came to the roads, were found asking the looters to stop their activities. When main building of Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) was looted after damaging it, police had arrested seven people (all Afghan nationals). Senator Ilyas Ahmad Bilour had lodged a complaint as the offices of Bilour Industries were also looted and damaged. The leaders of Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians were nominated in the FIR.

According to an eyewitness, the looters remained inside the chamber building for more than 35 minutes and took everything away from the offices. Before leaving the building, they set the main hall of the chamber on fire. A branch of a private bank adjacent to the chamber building was also looted. The ATM machine was taken out and cash was looted from it.

During the three days’ protest, on many occasions, the protesters were allowed to have their way and were not stopped by police despite the fact that looters were few in number and police could easily control them.

President Musharraf took the action on Sunday when property worth billions of rupees had already been damaged and looted by the angry protesters and criminals.

Internet and telephone services were suspended in most parts of the country on the first and second day of the mourning after an attack on the optical fibre cable near Nawabshah, as reported by an official. This incident added to the miseries of the people and those who were out of their homes as they  could not be contacted by their relatives.

The petrol pumps also observed shutter down and stopped providing CNG, petrol and diesel. Though, most of the motorists remained inside their homes during the three days of mourning, those who faced some emergencies could not manage filling their cars tanks.