Zubair Qureshi
Authorities in Islamabad have sealed several roads of Islamabad including the Red Zone by placing containers ahead of the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) sit-in at D-Chowk.
There were long queues of vehicles all day Friday at the Srinagar Highway, 9th Avenue, 6th Avenue, Zero Point and other roads and arteries due to road blockades and one could see people arguing with police pleading with them to let them pass.
However, after the refusal they took the alternate road and service lanes thus causing traffic influx on these side arteries. Those who suffered the most included patients on way to PIMS and Polyclinic, office workers and daily wagers. Business community was also seen complaining against the blockades.
Prior to sealing off the capital, the police in a series of coordinated raids arrested a number of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) workers at the FaizabadChowk, Zero Point and other places.
Amir of JI, Hafiz NaeemurRehman led a huge public rally in Sector I-8 warning the government against arrests of the JI workers and demanded immediate withdrawal of ‘capacity charges’ in electricity bills and cancellation of the agreements with IPPs (International Power Producers).
The JI President said that convoys from across the country were on their way to join the sit-in. He emphasized that raising their voice for the nation was their constitutional and democratic right and urged the administration to provide a venue for the protest.
He invited and “welcomed any political party that wishes to participate.”
About agreements with IPPs, he said these agreements were cruel, unjust and unjustified and the people of Pakistan would never accept them, he said and pledged to continue sit-in unless the needful is done.
In Rawalpindi too, a huge number of the JI workers bulged on the Islamabad Expressway causing the Islamabad and Pindi police to call for additional troops.
Metro Bus Service remained suspended due to JI sit-in calls and the ultimate victims were no other than the public.
The JI had given a call for a sit-in at D-Chowk in Islamabad however, after the police sealed off Islamabad it changed the plan and shifted the sit-in to LiaquatBagh.
In Islamabad the police blocked key intersections at the Red Zone, including D Chowk, NADRA Chowk, and Serena Chowk, which have been sealed with containers.
The federal government has meanwhile, imposed Section 144 in Islamabad to thwart the JI plan to hold a sit-in at the D-Chowk.
According to the notification issued in this regard, Section 144 will remain in effect from Friday, July 26 till Sunday, July 28 (tomorrow).
The Home Department, in a notification, said there would be a ban on rallies, sit-ins, protests and rallies from July 26 to 28. It said the decision had been taken in view of threats of terrorism, adding that public gatherings could be an easy target for militants.
