Zubair Qureshi
The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has launched a massive drive to normalize life in the federal capital in the post-Tehrik-e-Labbaik Pakistan’s (TLP) sit-in at the Faizabad Chowk.
Operation to clear various chowks and roads that were sealed earlier with the help of containers was underway till late house Tuesday and one could see CDA staff, the District Administration and the traffic police busy in removing hurdles, clearing and cleaning the roads.
On the main chowk in front of the Serena Hotel, traffic police lifters were removing barriers clearing the road for traffic while a similar operation was underway at the D-Chowk and Radio Pakistan Chowk.
Meanwhile, the CDA sanitation staff was busy in clearing the garbage left by the TLP workers on the Faizabad Chowk and according to the senior officials of the sanitation directorate it would take three to four hours more to completely clean the left-overs of the protesters.
TLP leader Khadim Rizvi and workers had agreed to leave the sit-in protest after the federal government gave them assurance all their demands would be met. They were calling for expulsion of the French ambassador, withdrawal of the Pakistani ambassador from Paris (though there is no ambassador at present) and boycott of the French products.
The agreement paper is signed by (from the government side) Interior Minister Brig (R) Ijaz Shah, Religious Affairs Minister Pir Noorul Haq Qadri and Commissioner of Islamabad Amir Ahmed Ali.
Meanwhile, the residents of the twin cities particularly those travelling between Islamabad and Rawalpindi for work or other purposes heaved a sigh of relief over the news of TLP’s sit-in coming to an end.
Those who suffered most due to this uncalled for road blockade by a handful of protesters included patients, elderly people, students and women.
What added to their miseries was unannounced mobile phone closure and absence of signals for three consecutive days.
Mobile signals remained suspended in Islamabad and Rawalpindi for a third day and roads leading to Faizabad Interchange as well as entry points of Islamabad were blocked by placing containers.
